Il Lombardia 2017

The road

At the start

The last Monument of the season

The European season ends here: 247 kilometres and 4,100 metres of climbing through the Lombardy hills to Como, over the Ghisallo, the wall of the Sormano, the Civiglio and San Fermo. Last year's winner Esteban Chaves broke his shoulder at the Giro dell'Emilia and is not here. Vincenzo Nibali, who won in 2015 by descending away from everyone, skipped Milano-Torino to ride the route instead. It is dry, and cool.

How it was won

1. 155 km to go

   Madonna del Ghisallo

   The first great climb of the day, cycling's own chapel on its summit, thins the race as the escapees trade blows and the peloton begins to stir behind.

2. 245 km to go

   Muro di Sormano

   On the savage ramps of the Sormano, the day's hardest climb, Mikaël Cherel proves strongest and inches clear on the narrow, wall-like road as the field frays behind.

3. 340 km to go

   Terror on the descent

   Just over 40km from Como the plunging Sormano descent bites: Laurens De Plus overcooks a bend, strikes the guardrail and is catapulted clean over it, his bike flung into the trees. Remarkably, he escapes serious injury.

4. 418 km to go

   Moscon lights the Civiglio

   On the steep Civiglio, with 18km to go, the last leaders are caught and Gianni Moscon attacks, dragging Oomen, Pinot and Nibali clear of the shredded field.

5. 516 km to go

   Nibali flies down the descent

   Over the top Pinot goes first, but Vincenzo Nibali bridges and then unleashes his fearless descending, hurtling off the Civiglio and stealing a lead the chasers cannot match — the winning move of Il Lombardia.

6. 66 km to go

   San Fermo della Battaglia

   Alone over the last climb, Nibali crests with 38 seconds on Pinot and 45 on the field, calm and unhurried on the road he knows so well.

7. 7At the line

   Nibali solos into Como

   Vincenzo Nibali freewheels into Como with time to savour a second Il Lombardia and the 50th victory of his career; Alaphilippe arrives alone 28 seconds later, Moscon winning the chase sprint for third.

The result