Il Lombardia offers tough Como finale for Vincenzo Nibali's final race

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The finish of Il Lombardia will return to Como on Saturday, October 8, with a demanding finale that features two ascents of the short but stiff San Fermo della Battaglia as well as the climb to Civilgio.

This year’s Race of the Falling Leaves has additional resonance as it doubles as Vincenzo Nibali’s farewell to professional cycling. The Sicilian announced his retirement when the Giro d’Italia visited his hometown of Messina in May and he will now sign off on his career on roads familiar from his Il Lombardia victories of 2015 and 2017.

"For me, it will be a great emotion and a great honour to finish off at Il Lombardia, which is one of the races I have loved the most during my career," said Nibali, who was the guest of honour at the presentation of the 2022 route in Como on Tuesday morning.

Twelve months ago, Il Lombardia started in Como and finished in Bergamo, where Tadej Pogačar outsprinted Fausto Masnada for victory. In keeping with recent tradition, this year’s 253km route sends the gruppo in the opposite direction for a grand finale on the shores of Lake Como.

After leaving Bergamo, the race tackles its first climb, the Forcellino di Bianzano after 29km, before the longer haul up the Ganda, which served as the springboard for Pogačar’s decisive move a year ago. The tough opening section through the province of Bergamo continues with the climb up the Passo della Crocetta to Dossena after 70km before the ascents of the Forcella di Bura e the Colle di Berbenno bring the race towards its midpoint.

There is some respite as Il Lombardia enters the long valley that leads towards Lake Como, but the finale begins in earnest when the route reaches the shore at Bellagio and then swings back inland to tackle the Madonna del Ghisallo.

Last year, Il Lombardia’s emblematic climb came early on the route, offering symbolism rather than a selection. It promises to be very different this time out, with riders reaching the church by the summit with little under 60km still to race.

After dropping back towards the lake, the route takes in the first of two ascents of San Fermo della Battaglia before dropping to the finish line in Como for the first time with 22km remaining. The final lap, meanwhile, takes in the tough haul to Civiglio and the second ascent of San Fermo della Battaglia, with the summit coming just 5km from the finish.

In 2015 and 2017, Nibali forged his eventual victory in Como by attacking off the descent of the Civiglio and then outlasting his rivals on San Fermo della Battaglia. It remains to be seen whether he can muster up something similar in his final race, but the terrain in the finale certainly lends itself to breathless racing.

The defending champion Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) will be the obvious favourite, particularly in the absence of World Champion Remco Evenepoel (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl), who misses out due to a calendar clash with his wedding.

Evenepoel’s teammate Julian Alaphilippe will view Il Lombardia as a chance to put a different slant on an ill-starred season, while Pogacar’s compatriot Primoz Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) may take a similar view after the crashes that ruined his Grand Tour campaign.

Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) is also slated to start, as well as part Il Lombardia winners Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ), Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) and Jakob Fuglsang (Israel Start-Up Nation).

The battle for points to avoid relegation for the WorldTour will offer an obvious subplot, just as the fight for Super Prestige and World Cup points did in generations past, while Il Lombardia will also serve as the final race for another famous name. Like Nibali, Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) has also called time on his career.