Il Lombardia

The ‘Race of the Falling Leaves’ is brighter than ever in 2020. From always being the final Monument of the calendar and being held in October, Il Lombardia has turned this year into the second one-day historic race to be held, and into a summer slot it never held. Quite a change for an event in the heart of one of the regions most struck by the pandemic.

That will remain, though, the only big change of an event whose route will be nearly identical to last year’s, over 231km from Bergamo to Como. After climbing the Colle Gallo (55km) and Colle Brianza (114km) in the first half of the race, the most significant, demanding ascents of the race will all be together into the last 80 kilometers. The Madonna del Ghisallo (166km; 8.6km @ 6.2%) will preceed the brutal, selective Colma di Sormano, with two differentiated sections: 5.1km @ 6.6% through its more ‘reasonable’ road, plus the Muro di Sormano, with 1.9km at a whopping 16% average.

From the Muro, the riders will descend to the Como area to tackle another two climbs, the decisive ones, in the last 20km: Civiglio (214km), 4.2 kilometers at nearly 10%, and San Fermo, 2.7km at 7.2%, with its summit just over 5km from the end.