Pinot wins Il Lombardia

Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) won the 2018 Il Lombardia with a solo attack on the penultimate climb of Civiglio, leaving defending champion Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) in his wake.

Nibali took second place, 32 seconds behind the Frenchman, having been part of the elite attacking group from the top of the Muro di Sormano onwards. Dylan Teuns (BMC Racing) rounded off the podium with a sprint from the chasing group, 43 seconds down.

Primož Roglič (LottoNL-Jumbo) kicked off the days' festivities with a long-range attack on the Sormano. His attack provoked Nibali and Pinot into going, with the trio leaving the remains of the peloton behind as they crested the top of the climb.

Egan Bernal (Team Sky) joined them after a fearless descent, and the four men enjoyed a 40-second lead as they hit the climb of Civiglio with 19km to race. Roglič and Bernal fell back on the climb, leaving just Pinot and Nibali up front.

After several attempts to get away, the Frenchman managed to gap Nibali at the top of Civiglio, going solo with 14km to the line. Nibali couldn't offer a response, and it was game over as Pinot soloed to his first Monument victory just days after triumphing at Milano-Torino.

Nibali was caught by the chasers in the closing kilometres, but managed to immediately strike out to take a solo second place.

"Among the Monuments, Il Lombardia is the nicest in my mind," said Pinot after the win. "I've always wanted to win it. I'm in the best shape of my career but to win ahead of Nibali is something very special.

"When I saw him attacking I said 'bingo, this is the right move.' I'm glad he attacked at Sormano. That was the key to success."

Nibali was philosophical after his second place, happy with the result after his late-season plans were thrown into turmoil after suffering fractured verterbrae in a crash at the Tour de France.

"The condition is what it is," he said. "However it grew just in time for Lombardia, which is a very beautiful race for me. I care about it but I couldn't do more - Pinot was the winner in Milano-Torino and had a was in top condition like I was last year.

"I still managed to get this good second place with the grit which is important to me as an athlete. It's a kind of redemption for all that has happened - a good success."

How it unfolded

There would be a slight change of route at the final European WorldTour race of the years. With the race 6km shorter than last year at 241km, the final climb of San Fermo della Battaglia left out due to road problems. The Madonna del Ghisallo, Muro di Sormano and Civiglio remained though, while the final test would be Monte Olimpino, a short climb topping out 3.3km from the finish.

It took a 4km battle for the break of the day to establish themselves. Davide Ballerini (Androni-Sidermec), Umberto Orsini, Alessandro Tonelli (both Bardiani-CSF), Florian Sénéchal (Quick Step Floors), Franck Bonnamour (Fortuneo-Samsic), Jonathan Restrepo (Katusha-Alpecin), Michael Storer (Team Sunweb), and Marco Marcato (UAE Team Emirates) were the lucky men out front.

In the race's early stages, Movistar were among the teams working on the front, on behalf of new world champion Alejandro Valverde. Five minutes up the road, the break tackled the day's early climbs - the Colle Gallo and Colle Brianza.

On the Madonna del Ghisallo (8.5km at 6.2%) the real attrition started as Bahrain-Merida upped the pace at the head of the peloton with a Vincenzo Nibali repeat victory in mind. Up front, the break fell apart, leaving Orsini, Tonelli, Storer and Bonnamour as the leaders. Over the top, their advantage was 1:45 with 60km to race.

Jack Haig (Mitchelton-Scott) and Jan Hirt (Astana) were among the attackers on the climb, with the Australian going solo on the descent. He was caught on the lower slopes of the Muro di Sormano though, as LottoNL-Jumbo set the pace in the peloton.

At 1.9km, the Sormano is a short climb, but the 15.8% gradients (27% maximum) bit. The break was quickly caught and Primož Roglič launched an attack 49km out as the peloton shattered behind.

Towards the top, Nibali and Thibaut Pinot leapt out of the peloton, which was already only around 20-men strong. Dropped on the climb, Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale) came to grief at the top after a spectator's camera strap caught on his handlebars. The Frenchman managed to stop before hitting the deck though.

Nibali led the way down the technical descent, with Roglič chasing the lead duo down, eventually making it a trio with 38km to race. Further back, Egan Bernal flew down the descent alone, some ten seconds back.

As the leaders hit the shores of Lake Como at the bottom of the descent, Bernal was with them. The foursome were 45 seconds up with 30km to race. Meanwhile back in the chase group Daniel Martinez (EF-Drapac) put in a big turn of at the front for his team leader Rigoberto Urán.

On Civiglio, a 4.2km 9.7% climb which started 19km out, Roglič and Bernal were dropped as Pinot and Nibali pushed on. Further back, the chase was stalling before Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates) tried an attack near the top of the climb. Up front, Pinot managed to drop Nibali, having previously attempted several attacks.

Inside the final 10km, 45 seconds separated Pinot and the chase group, while Nibali was 25 seconds behind the Groupama-FDJ man. With victory almost certain for Pinot on Monte Olimpino, the main suspense in the final kilometres concerned the destination of the final podium spots.

Another Martin attack saw Nibali caught 3km from the line, but 'the Shark' wouldn't give up, immediately countering from the chase group which included two of his Bahrain-Merida teammates.

It was an impressive second wind from the Italian, who eased away from the chasers to salvage a second place after his season-ruining crash caused by a fan on the Alpe d'Huez in July. Dylan Teuns won the sprint for the final podium spot, 11 seconds behind Nibali.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Thibaut Pinot (Fra) Groupama - FDJ5:53:22
2Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain - Merida0:00:32
3Dylan Teuns (Bel) Bmc Racing Team0:00:43
4Rigoberto Uran (Col) Team EF Education First - Drapac P/B CannondaleRow 3 - Cell 2
5Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 4 - Cell 2
6Ion Izagirre Insausti (Spa) Bahrain - MeridaRow 5 - Cell 2
7Rafal Majka (Pol) Bora - HansgroheRow 6 - Cell 2
8Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Bahrain - MeridaRow 7 - Cell 2
9Daniel Martin (Irl) Uae Team Emirates0:00:48
10George Bennett (NZl) Team Lotto Nl - Jumbo0:01:22
11Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team0:01:31
12Egan Arley Bernal Gomez (Col) Team SkyRow 11 - Cell 2
13Michael Woods (Can) Team EF Education First - Drapac P/B CannondaleRow 12 - Cell 2
14Sébastien Reichenbach (Swi) Groupama - FDJRow 13 - Cell 2
15Mikel Nieve Iturralde (Spa) Mitchelton - ScottRow 14 - Cell 2
16Dario Cataldo (Ita) Astana Pro Team0:01:57
17Primož Roglic (Slo) Team Lotto Nl - Jumbo0:03:04
18Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora - Hansgrohe0:03:33
19Mattia Cattaneo (Ita) Androni Giocattoli - SidermecRow 18 - Cell 2
20Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro TeamRow 19 - Cell 2
21Sergei Chernetski (Rus) Astana Pro TeamRow 20 - Cell 2
22Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora - HansgroheRow 21 - Cell 2
23Davide Formolo (Ita) Bora - HansgroheRow 22 - Cell 2
24Pieter Serry (Bel) Quick - Step Floors0:03:54
25Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 24 - Cell 2
26Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Fortuneo - SamsicRow 25 - Cell 2
27Sam Oomen (Ned) Team SunwebRow 26 - Cell 2
28Antwan Tolhoek (Ned) Team Lotto Nl - Jumbo0:03:59
29Adam Yates (GBr) Mitchelton - Scott0:04:01
30Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Bahrain - Merida0:04:04
31Simone Ponzi (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini - Europa Ovini0:04:55
32Mathias Frank (Swi) Ag2R La Mondiale0:04:57
33Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Bmc Racing TeamRow 32 - Cell 2
34Davide Villella (Ita) Astana Pro Team0:06:02
35Simone Velasco (Ita) Wilier Triestina - Selle Italia0:06:40
36Ben Hermans (Bel) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 35 - Cell 2
37Nicola Conci (Ita) Trek - Segafredo0:07:02
38Rui Costa (Por) Uae Team EmiratesRow 37 - Cell 2
39Eros Capecchi (Ita) Quick - Step FloorsRow 38 - Cell 2
40Pavel Kochetkov (Rus) Team Katusha AlpecinRow 39 - Cell 2
41Giulio Ciccone (Ita) Bardiani CsfRow 40 - Cell 2
42Nelson Oliveira (Por) Movistar TeamRow 41 - Cell 2
43Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Mitchelton - ScottRow 42 - Cell 2
44Toms Skujins (Lat) Trek - SegafredoRow 43 - Cell 2
45Robert Gesink (Ned) Team Lotto Nl - JumboRow 44 - Cell 2
46Giovanni Carboni (Ita) Bardiani CsfRow 45 - Cell 2
47Jai Hindley (Aus) Team SunwebRow 46 - Cell 2
48Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team SunwebRow 47 - Cell 2
49Daniel Felipe Martinez Poveda (Col) Team Ef Education First - Drapac P/B Cannondale0:07:07
50Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini - Europa OviniRow 49 - Cell 2
51Enric Mas Nicolau (Spa) Quick - Step FloorsRow 50 - Cell 2
52Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Team SkyRow 51 - Cell 2
53Jose Manuel Diaz Gallego (Spa) Israel Cycling Academy0:08:10
54Fabio Aru (Ita) Uae Team Emirates0:08:40
55Manuel Senni (Ita) Bardiani CsfRow 54 - Cell 2
56Matej Mohoric (Slo) Bahrain - Merida0:08:57
57Luca Wackermann (Ita) Bardiani Csf0:09:51
58Sebastian Schönberger (Aut) Wilier Triestina - Selle Italia0:10:36
59Michael Gogl (Aut) Trek - SegafredoRow 58 - Cell 2
60Simon Špilak (Slo) Team Katusha AlpecinRow 59 - Cell 2
61Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Team Fortuneo - SamsicRow 60 - Cell 2
62Antonio Pedrero (Spa) Movistar Team0:10:39
63David De La Cruz Melgarejo (Spa) Team SkyRow 62 - Cell 2
64Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek - SegafredoRow 63 - Cell 2
65Floris De Tier (Bel) Team Lotto Nl - Jumbo0:12:28
66Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 65 - Cell 2
67Jérémy Maison (Fra) Team Fortuneo - SamsicRow 66 - Cell 2
68Christopher Hamilton (Aus) Team SunwebRow 67 - Cell 2
69Bjorg Lambrecht (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 68 - Cell 2
70Merhawi Kudus (Eri) Team Dimension DataRow 69 - Cell 2
71Jan Hirt (Cze) Astana Pro TeamRow 70 - Cell 2
72Damiano Caruso (Ita) Bmc Racing TeamRow 71 - Cell 2
73Simon Clarke (Aus) Team Ef Education First - Drapac P/B CannondaleRow 72 - Cell 2
74Michael Storer (Aus) Team Sunweb0:14:27
75Matteo Montaguti (Ita) Ag2R La Mondiale0:15:01
76Mikael Cherel (Fra) Ag2R La MondialeRow 75 - Cell 2
77Edoardo Zardini (Ita) Wilier Triestina - Selle ItaliaRow 76 - Cell 2
78Rob Power (Aus) Mitchelton - ScottRow 77 - Cell 2
79David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama - Fdj0:15:05
80Marc Soler (Spa) Movistar Team0:17:02
81Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Bahrain - MeridaRow 80 - Cell 2
82Carlos Verona (Spa) Mitchelton - ScottRow 81 - Cell 2
83Daan Olivier (Ned) Team Lotto Nl - JumboRow 82 - Cell 2
84Alessandro Tonelli (Ita) Bardiani CsfRow 83 - Cell 2
85Stephen Cummings (GBr) Team Dimension DataRow 84 - Cell 2
86Diego Rosa (Ita) Team SkyRow 85 - Cell 2
87Sebastian Henao Gomez (Col) Team SkyRow 86 - Cell 2
88Koen Bouwman (Ned) Team Lotto Nl - Jumbo0:19:21
89Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Team Katusha Alpecin0:23:36
90Willem Jakobus Smit (RSA) Team Katusha AlpecinRow 89 - Cell 2
91Joan Bou Company (Spa) Nippo - Vini Fantini - Europa OviniRow 90 - Cell 2
92Marco Tizza (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini - Europa OviniRow 91 - Cell 2
93Ilia Koshevoy (Blr) Wilier Triestina - Selle ItaliaRow 92 - Cell 2
94Guy Niv (Isr) Israel Cycling Academy0:24:56
95Franck Bonnamour (Fra) Team Fortuneo - Samsic0:25:08
96Matteo Spreafico (Ita) Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec0:25:10
97Miguel Eduardo Florez Lopez (Col) Wilier Triestina - Selle ItaliaRow 96 - Cell 2
98Ruben Plaza (Spa) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 97 - Cell 2
DNFAntonio Nibali (Ita) Bahrain - MeridaRow 98 - Cell 2
DNFRomain Bardet (Fra) Ag2R La MondialeRow 99 - Cell 2
DNFNans Peters (Fra) Ag2R La MondialeRow 100 - Cell 2
DNFFrançois Bidard (Fra) Ag2R La MondialeRow 101 - Cell 2
DNFBen Gastauer (Lux) Ag2R La MondialeRow 102 - Cell 2
DNFDavide Ballerini (Ita) Androni Giocattoli - SidermecRow 103 - Cell 2
DNFMarco Frapporti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli - SidermecRow 104 - Cell 2
DNFFrancesco Gavazzi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli - SidermecRow 105 - Cell 2
DNFMattia Frapporti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli - SidermecRow 106 - Cell 2
DNFIvan Ramiro Sosa Cuervo (Col) Androni Giocattoli - SidermecRow 107 - Cell 2
DNFNikita Stalnov (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 108 - Cell 2
DNFAndrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 109 - Cell 2
DNFUmberto Orsini (Ita) Bardiani CsfRow 110 - Cell 2
DNFLorenzo Rota (Ita) Bardiani CsfRow 111 - Cell 2
DNFAlberto Bettiol (Ita) Bmc Racing TeamRow 112 - Cell 2
DNFLoïc Vliegen (Bel) Bmc Racing TeamRow 113 - Cell 2
DNFSimon Gerrans (Aus) Bmc Racing TeamRow 114 - Cell 2
DNFJoseph Rosskopf (USA) Bmc Racing TeamRow 115 - Cell 2
DNFCesare Benedetti (Ita) Bora - HansgroheRow 116 - Cell 2
DNFChristoph Pfingsten (Ger) Bora - HansgroheRow 117 - Cell 2
DNFPawel Poljanski (Pol) Bora - HansgroheRow 118 - Cell 2
DNFWilliam Bonnet (Fra) Groupama - FdjRow 119 - Cell 2
DNFMatthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Groupama - FdjRow 120 - Cell 2
DNFJérémy Roy (Fra) Groupama - FdjRow 121 - Cell 2
DNFLéo Vincent (Fra) Groupama - FdjRow 122 - Cell 2
DNFAwet Andemeskel (Eri) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 123 - Cell 2
DNFKrists Neilands (Lat) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 124 - Cell 2
DNFOmer Goldshtein (Isr) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 125 - Cell 2
DNFThomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 126 - Cell 2
DNFMaxime Monfort (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 127 - Cell 2
DNFJames Shaw (GBr) Lotto SoudalRow 128 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Albasini (Swi) Mitchelton - ScottRow 129 - Cell 2
DNFJack Haig (Aus) Mitchelton - ScottRow 130 - Cell 2
DNFHector Carretero (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 131 - Cell 2
DNFJaime Castrillo Zapater (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 132 - Cell 2
DNFJosé Rojas (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 133 - Cell 2
DNFJuan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Nippo - Vini Fantini - Europa OviniRow 134 - Cell 2
DNFNicola Bagioli (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini - Europa OviniRow 135 - Cell 2
DNFFilippo Zaccanti (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini - Europa OviniRow 136 - Cell 2
DNFBob Jungels (Lux) Quick - Step FloorsRow 137 - Cell 2
DNFKasper Asgreen (Den) Quick - Step FloorsRow 138 - Cell 2
DNFLaurens De Plus (Bel) Quick - Step FloorsRow 139 - Cell 2
DNFFlorian Senechal (Fra) Quick - Step FloorsRow 140 - Cell 2
DNFLachlan Morton (Aus) Team Dimension DataRow 141 - Cell 2
DNFBen O'connor (Aus) Team Dimension DataRow 142 - Cell 2
DNFSerge Pauwels (Bel) Team Dimension DataRow 143 - Cell 2
DNFJohann Van Zyl (RSA) Team Dimension DataRow 144 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Vermote (Bel) Team Dimension DataRow 145 - Cell 2
DNFMatti Breschel (Den) Team Ef Education First - Drapac P/B CannondaleRow 146 - Cell 2
DNFJoseph Lloyd Dombrowski (USA) Team Ef Education First - Drapac P/B CannondaleRow 147 - Cell 2
DNFSacha Modolo (Ita) Team Ef Education First - Drapac P/B CannondaleRow 148 - Cell 2
DNFBrice Feillu (Fra) Team Fortuneo - SamsicRow 149 - Cell 2
DNFElie Gesbert (Fra) Team Fortuneo - SamsicRow 150 - Cell 2
DNFRomain Le Roux (Fra) Team Fortuneo - SamsicRow 151 - Cell 2
DNFIlnur Zakarin (Rus) Team Katusha AlpecinRow 152 - Cell 2
DNFRobert Kišerlovski (Cro) Team Katusha AlpecinRow 153 - Cell 2
DNFJhonatan Restrepo Valencia (Col) Team Katusha AlpecinRow 154 - Cell 2
DNFMichal Golas (Pol) Team SkyRow 155 - Cell 2
DNFGianni Moscon (Ita) Team SkyRow 156 - Cell 2
DNFLennard Kämna (Ger) Team SunwebRow 157 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Matthews (Aus) Team SunwebRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFLaurent Didier (Lux) Trek - SegafredoRow 159 - Cell 2
DNFNiklas Eg (Den) Trek - SegafredoRow 160 - Cell 2
DNFPeter Stetina (USA) Trek - SegafredoRow 161 - Cell 2
DNFMarco Marcato (Ita) Uae Team EmiratesRow 162 - Cell 2
DNFManuele Mori (Ita) Uae Team EmiratesRow 163 - Cell 2
DNFEdward Ravasi (Ita) Uae Team EmiratesRow 164 - Cell 2
DNFRory Sutherland (Aus) Uae Team EmiratesRow 165 - Cell 2
DNFMatteo Busato (Ita) Wilier Triestina - Selle ItaliaRow 166 - Cell 2
DNFLuca Raggio (Ita) Wilier Triestina - Selle ItaliaRow 167 - Cell 2

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Senior news writer

Dani Ostanek is Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews, having joined in 2017 as a freelance contributor and later being hired full-time. Prior to joining the team, they had written for numerous major publications in the cycling world, including CyclingWeekly, Rouleur, and CyclingTips.

 

Dani has reported from the world's top races, including the Tour de France and the spring Classics, and has interviewed many of the sport's biggest stars, including Wout van Aert, Remco Evenepoel, Demi Vollering, and Anna van der Breggen.

 

As well as original reporting, news and feature writing, and production work, Dani also oversees The Leadout newsletter and How to Watch guides throughout the season. Their favourite races are Strade Bianche and the Volta a Portugal.

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