When the leaves fall, cycling lives its final grand appointment: Il Lombardia, known as la classica delle foglie morte — the autumn leaves classic. It's the last of five Monuments each season, a melancholic and splendid autumn race between the lakes and hills of Lombardy.
What Makes It a Monument
- An autumn Monument: while other classics run in spring, Il Lombardia closes the season in October's golden light.
- The Madonna del Ghisallo: the climb to the cyclists' chapel, a shrine of the sport, is the race's symbol.
- A climbers' course: nearly 240 km and thousands of meters of elevation make this a puncher-climber's test, not a sprinter's.
- Bergamo and Como: start and finish alternate between the two cities and their lakes, some of cycling's finest backdrops.
How to Follow It (or Race It)
- Position yourself on a climb (the Ghisallo, San Fermo) to see the selection happen.
- The city finish (often by Lake Como) offers a spectacular finale.
- Race it yourself: an amateur Gran Fondo accompanies the pro race over the weekend.
