2021 Tour of Lombardy Race Preview
The details of this year's 2021 Tour of Lombardy are falling into place. Find the latest route profiles and maps below, followed by our strategic preview of the race.
The final monument of the cycling season arrives with the Tour of Lombardy, a race steeped in tradition and known as the Race of the Falling Leaves for the autumnal backdrop that frames its challenging roads through the Italian lake district. The 2021 edition promises to be a fascinating contest as the sport's finest climbers gather in northern Italy for one last battle before the curtain comes down on the classics season.
The route covers approximately 239 kilometres from Como to Bergamo, taking in the brutal climbs that have defined this race for generations. The Madonna del Ghisallo, a spiritual home of cycling complete with its famous chapel, will once again feature on the parcours, as will the punishing Civiglio and San Fermo della Battaglia in the closing stages. The final ascent of the Civiglio and the subsequent drop into the finishing circuits will test the legs and nerve of every contender, and any lapse in concentration or moment of weakness will be ruthlessly punished.
Tadej Pogacar enters as perhaps the most compelling favourite, the young Slovenian arriving on the back of a dominant Tour de France victory and growing evidence that he is becoming the most complete rider of his generation. His ability to attack repeatedly on steep gradients while retaining the capacity to sprint or time trial at the end makes him a nightmare for rivals to plan against.
Primoz Roglic will be hoping to go one better than previous near misses at this race, and the Jumbo-Visma leader has shown throughout the season that he possesses the climbing quality required. Defending champion Jakob Fuglsang is always dangerous on these roads, while Alejandro Valverde brings decades of experience and a tactical cunning that can never be discounted.
Enric Mas, Sergio Higuita, and David Gaudu all represent a new generation of climbers capable of causing an upset, and the race may well be decided by which team can best control the final hour of racing. Expect attacks on the Civiglio, desperate chasing on the descent, and a finale in Bergamo that could go down to the very last metres.
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