Il Lombardia 2016

The road

How it was won

1. 1176 km to go

   Bells at the Ghisallo

   The peloton has held together for an hour, but the moment the Ghisallo steepens Caruso, Denifl, Cherel and Molard jump away. Denifl leads them past the cyclists' chapel with the bells ringing out and four minutes on the bunch.

2. 297 km to go

   Valcava opens the finale

   After 125km of fast racing the Valcava signals the start of the real race and the last six climbs. Caruso forces the pace, Denifl and Cherel are dropped, and the peloton crests 3:15 down with riders falling out of the back all over the mountain.

3. 370 km to go

   Attacks on Sant'Antonio Abbandonato

   The little-known, savagely steep climb sparks the day's first serious moves: Bardet, Chaves and Valverde jump clear, Brambilla and Aru chase, and Gesink, Rosa, Villella and Latour go over the top in a race that has turned completely fluid.

4. 459 km to go

   Hesitation on the Miragolo

   With 58km still to ride, nobody in the move wants to commit. The Miragolo San Salvatore is climbed steadily, riders trickle back on, and a distanced Rigoberto Urán uses the lull to rejoin the front.

5. 527 km to go

   Chaves goes on the Selvino

   On the lower slopes of the Selvino, Esteban Chaves puts in one long, sustained acceleration and the race finally breaks. Only Urán and Bardet can follow. Diego Rosa first tries to tow Aru across, then abandons him and bridges alone over the summit, and four riders swing onto the long twisting descent to Bergamo with forty seconds and a race to win.

6. 63 km to go

   Fireworks on Bergamo Alta

   Chaves lights up the short wall through the old city and Bardet and Rosa both come off his wheel — but with a chase closing behind, he and Urán hesitate and Rosa claws his way back on.

7. 7At the line

   Chaves makes Colombian history

   Rosa launches and very nearly pulls off the coup, but runs out of road and gas metres from the line. Esteban Chaves takes Il Lombardia — the first Colombian ever to win the race of the falling leaves.

The result