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Tour de France champion Pogačar wins Il Lombardia on his debut, Woods ninth

Slovenian first rider in 48 years to win at least one Grand Tour, two Monuments in a season

Tadej Pogačar finished the best season of his career on Saturday by winning Il Lombardia on his debut. The Slovenian became the first rider in 48 years to win at least one Grand Tour and two Monuments in a season: Liege-Bastogne-Liege, the Tour de France and Il Lombardia. Michael Woods–who placed fifth in 2019–was ninth in the Race of the Falling Leaves, the final round of the 2021 WorldTour.

The Course

There were seven climbs in Il Lombardia, with the first, the ascent to the Madonna del Ghisallo, the most sublime, but the final four being the most important. The 11-km Dossena would perhaps elicit an attack, especially considering another short, steep climb came close on its heels. The Passo di Ganda would be a real battleground, especially the final 3 km that averaged 8.7 percent. Descent of the Ganda would be harrowing and the last climb—1.3 km of 7 percent cresting 3.5 km from the finish in Bergamo was where the big move would be made. The last four winners beat the runner-up by an average of 26.75 seconds.

A ten-man move formed on the famed Madonna del Ghisallo and rolled over the Roncola climb intact, pulling out a maximum gap of 6:00. By the start of the Berbenno, Israel Start-up Nation, Jumbo-Visma and Deceuninck-Quick Step brought it down to 4:30.

Two Irishmen were retiring at the end of the season. Nicolas Roche of DSM was hanging up the helmet, as was Roche’s cousin Dan Martin, Israel Start-up Nation’s 2014 winner of The Race of the Falling Leaves.



Dossena-Zambla Alta Double Climb

The escapees were 4:00 up the road when the Dossena kicked up.

Jumbo-Visma, Deceuninck-Quick Step, UAE-Emirates and Ineos mobbed the front of the peloton. A couple of moves from the field failed to stay clear.

Fugitive Chris Hamilton partook in some recycling near the top of Dossena.

Cycling recycling.

Moves continued to flare and extinguish on Dossena as the breakaway drew closer. Things cooled down on the Zambla Alta. On the descent, with 55 km left to race, the capture was made.

Passo di Ganda

Deceuninck-Quick Step led onto the Ganda. Simon Yates popped immediately. DSM then grabbed the reins, dropping Alexandr Vlasov and Rigoberto Uran. The peloton was down to 40 fellows with 38 km to go. Woods was still there.

Just as Remco Evenepoel faded, Vincenzo Nibali made a dig, joined by Pavel Sivakov, Romain Bardet and Pogačar. Pogačar then attacked.

Pogačar goes solo on the Ganda.

Woods was in the closest chase group with Julian Alaphilippe, Bardet, Alejandro Valverde, David Gaudu, Adam Yates and Primož Roglič. Alaphilippe’s teammate Fausto Masnada turned himself inside out to pull back the double Tour de France winner.

Pogačar tipped over the top with a 35-second lead. Masnada lit out after him. After many hairpin turns, Masnada found the Slovenian with 15.5 km to ride. The Woods-Alaphilippe-Roglič chase was 48-seconds in arrears.

Endgame

Masnada was instructed to sit on. The cohesion in the chase that was making gains on the leading duo subsided.

Woods leads Alaphilippe and rest of the chase inside the final 10 km.

With 5 km and Bergamo’s little half-cobbled Colle Aperto climb to go, the gap was 50 seconds. Woods et al were racing for the final podium spot.

Masnada stayed with Pogačar on the climb. Masnada tried to dislodge the Slovenian on the flat. It would come down to a sprint.

Bardet and Woods’ thrusts dropped Roglič and Yates.

Masnada made his companion lead it out, but Pogačar was just too strong for the Italian to pass.

Roglič and Yates caught up, passed Woods and company and then Yates took third.

2021 Il Lombardia
1) Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia/UAE-Emirates) 6:01:39
2) Fausto Masnada (Italy/Deceuninck-Quick Step) s.t.
3) Adam Yates (Great Britain/Ineos Grenadiers) +0:51
9) Michael Woods (Canada/Israel Start-up Nation) s.t.