114th Il Lombardia (1.UWT) // 15th of August 2020

[BlueRoads]

Well it looked like Remco and Fuglsang were riding two different races at the same time, I understand the confusion. Both were in Poland.

I wanted to joke about Remco so dominating that I forget every other rider in the race... than I wanted to excuse myself with that LEIPZIG match. But in the end I'm just terrible with these things and always jumble riders and facts of past races...

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Obviously no one except Remco haters would gloat but wouldn't it be a bit of a disappointment if he doesn't at least podium against those guys given what we've seen so far?

It would depend greatly on the circumstances. I could imagine him winning a disappointing race. I could imagine him coming 7th in thrilling fashion. But i understand what you mean. I'll settle for a junior WCC 2018 scenario

 

[The Hegelian]

I can't seem to get as excited for this as usual. Doesn't really feel like a monument this year and the startlist is really underwhelming. Strade definitely feels like a much bigger and more important race this year.

I guess it's just the Covid calendar and conflict for Tour guys. Giro will likely feel the same.

100% agree. Very underwhelming for a monument. Compared with MSR which basically had everyone.

 

[Leinster]

100% agree. Very underwhelming for a monument. Compared with MSR which basically had everyone.

Everyone except Remco.

 

[The Hegelian]

Everyone except Remco.

Could be a little harsh (apologies to Birdsong et al), but we could also reverse this for ill Lombardia: no one but Remco...

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Could be a little harsh (apologies to Birdsong et al), but we could also reverse this for ill Lombardia: no one but Remco...

So, about the same amount of quality in both races

Seriously though, the guy who won it last year, is here. The guy who won it twice before, is also here. The winner of last year's LBL is also here, as is the last Giro winner and the last CSS winner. So unless all those guys stumbled upon those wins last year, i think it's safe to say whoever beats them, is a worthy winner. Actually, all the winners of last year's biggest ardennes/mountain classics are here. Fuglsang, van der Poel, Evenepoel & Mollema.

I didn't see anyone complain when Fuglsang won last year's LBL. "Oh, no Bernal, no Roglic, no Mollema, no Buchmann... so it doesn't really count!"

 

[memyselfandI]

Fuglsang, Conti, Carapaz, Vlasov, Evenepoel.

 

[RedheadDane]

and the last CSS winner

CSS?

 

[F_Cance]

San Sebastian

 

[Climbing]

What so bad about the turnout?
It's like every year, some possible winners are missing and some are dead anyway or bonk.
Seems a pretty good startlist, and everybody is particularly curious if wonderboy is really unstoppable.

I bet he is.

 

[42x16ss]

I can't seem to get as excited for this as usual. Doesn't really feel like a monument this year and the startlist is really underwhelming. Strade definitely feels like a much bigger and more important race this year.

I guess it's just the Covid calendar and conflict for Tour guys. Giro will likely feel the same.

Nibali, Mollema, Fuglsang, Woods, Carapaz, Aru and Majka is still a very solid list of contenders, and about right for Lombardia. Unless you're talking overall field depth?

 

[42x16ss]

The field is appalling. As thin as I can recall for any monument. The racing however may be good, at least if the Belgian kid doesn’t just disappear off up the road.

The leaders are about right compared to previous years, it's just overall team depth that's lacking a bit.

 

[Naico]

Let me cranck this up a notch..I actually think the field is stronger in comparison to previous years. Let’s be honest: few people make Lombardia a real goal the specially build up for. It’s just not ideally set on the calendar. Riders who went all out at the Tour, have difficulties finding motivation or form for it. Others focus full on the Vuelta or the WC. The peak is often over when Lombardia arrives. It’s the end of a very long season for most.
Very few are those who arrive at Lombardia in top shape.
Yes the names at the start might have been bigger in the past (yet to me it still is debatable) but again, they rarely were in top shape. So that doesn’t say much about the quality of the field.
This year is different: the new season just started, riders and teams trained and prepared hard in order to perform over these next 3 months. Those who don’t do the Tour have their first peak here. Nibali, Mollema, Fuglsang, Evenepoel,..They were all focused on this race. Other guys that will ride the Tour and want to perform there want to be in great shape now too.

 

[repre]

Let me cranck this up a notch..I actually think the field is stronger in comparison to previous years. Let’s be honest: few people make Lombardia a real goal the specially build up for. It’s just not ideally set on the calendar. Riders who went all out at the Tour, have difficulties finding motivation or form for it. Others focus full on the Vuelta or the WC. The peak is often over when Lombardia arrives. It’s the end of a very long season for most.
Very few are those who arrive at Lombardia in top shape.
Yes the names at the start might have been bigger in the past (yet to me it still is debatable) but again, they rarely were in top shape. So that doesn’t say much about the quality of the field.
This year is different: the new season just started, riders and teams trained and prepared hard in order to perform over these next 3 months. Those who don’t do the Tour have their first peak here. Nibali, Mollema, Fuglsang, Evenepoel,..They were all focused on this race. Other guys that will ride the Tour and want to perform there want to be in great shape now too.

Mollema is going to the Tour

 

[Naico]

Mollema is going to the Tour

Well i be damned. Can't slip for a second in here

 

[spalco]

Obviously no one except Remco haters would gloat but wouldn't it be a bit of a disappointment if he doesn't at least podium against those guys given what we've seen so far?

Hm, kind of I guess. But one-day-races are always a gamble. Even if there's an overwhelming favourite, like Cancellara in some Flanders/Roubaix, I'd usually take the field over him in a bet.

 

[Red Rick]

He'll be the laughing stock of the peloton if he DOESN'T win. "Hahaha, couldn't even beat Mollema, Nibali, Carapaz, Fuglsang, Woods, Schachmann and other losers!"

There is no shame in losing to The Great Bauke Mollema.

 

[Red Rick]

Hm, kind of I guess. But one-day-races are always a gamble. Even if there's an overwhelming favourite, like Cancellara in some Flanders/Roubaix, I'd usually take the field over him in a bet.

I think this is pretty different per one day race and route. This Lombardia course is pretty coordinated/not that tactical.

 

[OlavEH]

Are they going to use the Bergamo finish one of the coming years? Or will they continue with a Como finish?

 

[Red Rick]

Are they going to use the Bergamo finish one of the coming years? Or will they continue with a Como finish?

Bergamo is only cool if 2016 route. 2014 was awful and only fun because of Valverde's most legendary bottling job.

 

[OlavEH]

Bergamo is only cool if 2016 route. 2014 was awful and only fun because of Valverde's most legendary bottling job.

I agree. The version with Selvino/Gallo and Berbenno (which they used a lot around 2000) is pretty lame. But the addition of the two new climbs of Sant'Antonio and Miralogo was very exciting. Would like to see another version with those two climbs.

 

[tobydawq]

I think this is pretty different per one day race and route. This Lombardia course is pretty coordinated/not that tactical.

Yes, I would definitely have picked Nibali over the field in 2015 and 2017 as well as Pinot in 2018. Also Fuglsang in last year's Liège. If you're enough stronger than the others, you can just ride away.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

We have not yet seen him race against Fuglsang, have we? What if Fuglsang pulls it off... After all he was incredible last year. Seems to get better with the years. In Strade he himself went too early, maybe practising for a long range attack at Lombardia...

And then there's my favourite outcome: Kelderman winning!

Actually we did. In Pologne Evenepoel humiliated Fuglsang in the queen stage... 1m48 the difference

 

[Blanco]

Yes, I would definitely have picked Nibali over the field in 2015 and 2017 as well as Pinot in 2018. Also Fuglsang in last year's Liège. If you're enough stronger than the others, you can just ride away.

I can't remember Pinot being such a favorite, nor Fuglsang being clear cut above Alaphilippe before Liege last year...

 

[Red Rick]

I can't remember Pinot being such a favorite, nor Fuglsang being clear cut above Alaphilippe before Liege last year...

Pinot was flying that fall, while Nibali was scrambling to regain form.

Fuglsang was the clear favorite based on Alaphilippe barely beating him on the Mur despite being way, way more explosive.