Cycling: The leaves are falling. It's time for the Lombardy tour. The last monument of the year is on the program on Saturday – and many want to win it.
Tour of Lombardy: Nibali ends his career
It's that time again on Saturday. The last big highlight of the season is on the program: Il Lombardia. The Tour of Lombardy will be held for the 116th time. Before the well-deserved winter break, the best climbers and puncheurs in the world will compete against each other for the last time. With Tadej pogacar (UAE), Jakob Fuglsang (Israel – Premier Tech), Build Mollema (Trek – Segafredo) and Vincenzo Nibali four of the last five winners are at the start. The race is something special for the last-mentioned Italian in particular. The now 37-year-old – who won all three major national tours – will end his career at the end of the year. At the Tour of Lombardy he wants to show one last time that he is still one of the greats.
Favorites in the Falling Leaves race
Vincenzo Nibali is definitely one of the most exciting personalities in this year's race of falling leaves. However, he is rarely mentioned as a favourite. Last year's winner Tadej pogacar has recently shown that he can still be in top form at the end of the year. The Slovenian will be hard to beat due to his climbing skills coupled with his final speed. In the person of Enric Mas Nicolau (Movistar) he definitely has a serious competitor who showed at the Vuelta a Espana that he had made a big leap forward. Also jonas vingegaard (Jumbo – Visma) will play a good role. But the Dane has so far failed to impress in one-day races. Completely different Alejandro Valverde (Movistar). The Spaniard – who will also end his career at the end of the year – belongs on such terrain just like the Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) is always a favorite.