Il Lombardia

Here’s where 20 years of glory come to its end. Alejandro Valverde will cover his last race as a professional rider at the 116th edition of the last Monument of the classics season, the Giro di Lombardia. The race will not feature the Muro di Sormano this time around, focusing most of its key climbs in the finale, though with shorter flat sections than in previous years.

The race is divided into two strecthes. The ‘attrition section’, through to 150km in, comprises a series of climbs with Forcellino di Banzano (29km), Ganda (50km), Forcella di Bura (105km), Berbenno (120km) and San Gottardo (150km). They are longer than the final ones, certainly not as decisive, yet important to understand what will happen later.

From there, the peloton will head towards its mountainous showdown. First off, the Madonna del Ghisallo (192km; 8.6 kilometers at 6.2%), then a new final loop around the finish in Como, with two ascents of San Fermo (2.7km at 7.2%; last climb just 5km from the finish) and one of Civiglio (4km at almost 10%), with 17 kilometers to go.