2026 Il Lombardia Race Preview & Route Profile
The details of this year's 2026 Il Lombardia are falling into place. Find the race profile and map below, followed by our strategic preview of the race.
After the Vuelta a España, World Championships and European Championships, Il Lombardia is the next high-profile race that’ll be far more unpredictable as a consequence of the absence of the injured Tadej Pogačar. The Slovenian has won it in each of the past five seasons, a run that tied him with Fausto Coppi as the record-holder for victories in “The Race of the Falling Leaves”.
The 120th edition of the end-of-season Monument should feature many of the riders who were in the heart of the action at the World Championships in Montreal late last month, including the new title-holder Brandon McNulty. The American is set to form a potent double-headed challenge alongside Isaac Del Toro. It’ll be interesting to see how this partnership plays out, as the Mexican should arguably be the stronger of the pair on the very hilly Lombardia course.
If the title does escape the grip of the UAE team for the first time in six years, Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe’s Remco Evenepoel looks the most likely victor on current form after his success at the European Championships last weekend. Already the winner of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the Belgian is well suited to the Lombardy course having finished second in 2024 and will have a strong team behind him, including Giulio Pellizzari, who’s one of the best home bets for success.
If all-round team strength proves decisive, Visma-Lease a Bike should be in the frame. Their line-up is set to feature Matteo Jorgenson, who was so crucial to McNulty’s rainbow jersey triumph in Canada, last weekend’s Giro dell’Emilia winner Davide Piganzoli and two key lieutenants in Ben Tulett and Bruno Armirail.
Decathlon CMA-CGM will have plenty of depth in their line-up too. Tiesj Benoot and Nicolas Prodhomme are just two of the powerhouses they’ll be looking at as they attempt to set up Paul Seixas for the young Frenchman’s debut success in a Monument.
Lidl-Trek are another team with two cards to play. Giulio Ciccone, who lost the European title to Evenepoel by a millimetre last weekend, is due a big win. Third when Il Lombardia last raced into Como in 2024, the Italian is set to share leadership duties with Juan Ayuso, although Ciccone looks the pick of this pair.
Sixth on his Lombardia debut last year, Tom Pidcock is another of the form riders who’ll likely be in the hunt to claim a debut success in a Monument on Saturday. Extremely aggressive at the Worlds, he backed up that performance with second place in the Giro dell’Emilia. The shortish, steep climbs will suit the Pinarello Q36.5 leader’s style very nicely.
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