Il Lombardia 2022

The road

At the start

Nibali and Valverde's last day

The last Monument of the season, and the last race of two careers: Vincenzo Nibali and Alejandro Valverde both retire tonight, and both arrive with the form to be dangerous. Tadej Pogačar wears number one after winning here a year ago and comes off victory at Tre Valli Varesine; Enric Mas beat him at the Giro dell'Emilia last weekend. Jonas Vingegaard is here too. 252 kilometres, Bergamo down to Como.

How it was won

1. 171 km to go

   The break is swallowed before the Ghisallo

   Once over three minutes, the escape's advantage tumbles as the peloton winds up in anticipation of the Madonna del Ghisallo. The catch is made with seventy-one kilometres left and the climb only a few kilometres away.

2. 267 km to go

   Jumbo and UAE start the cull on the Ghisallo

   Chris Harper's pace on the cyclists' chapel climb is enough to drop Mohorič outright. Then UAE take over with Almeida leading a long line, lifting it again until Alaphilippe is on the brink — only around thirty-five riders come over the top together.

3. 319 km to go

   Pogačar makes his move on the Civiglio

   Bora set it up and Fabbro jettisons Nibali and Alaphilippe; UAE take over and finish the job. Then, nineteen kilometres from Como, Pogačar goes. Only Enric Mas can follow him at all. Landa digs himself inside out to make contact, is dropped again by a Mas attack, and hauls himself back on the descent — but the race is now three men and a long way clear.

4. 412 km to go

   Higuita and Rodríguez slip out of the chase

   Ahead of the final climb the two jump clear of the chasers and stay away all the way to the line, riding for fourth and fifth — never close enough to threaten the leaders, who still hold over thirty seconds.

5. 56 km to go

   Mas attacks twice on the last climb

   On San Fermo della Battaglia the Spaniard tries twice near the top, and both times he shakes off Landa for good — and both times Pogačar has an answer waiting. Two men to the descent into Como.

6. 6At the line

   Pogačar takes Lombardia again

   It comes down to a two-up sprint on the lakeside, and there was only ever going to be one winner of that. Back-to-back Il Lombardia titles, and the last Monument of the season closed out by the man who lost the Tour in July.

The result