Il Lombardia 2023

[Krzysztof_O]

I just saw a post-race interview with Roglic. He seemed pretty happy with third. Said he didn't have the legs and was basically holding on the last 50k.

It seems Primoz misses some glicogene reserves in last hours of those monster one-day races. He seems much better in sub-200 km races. Anyway, there's still hope, as he mantioned - 2nd next year and win in 2025!

 

[Krzysztof_O]

So I think the gaps in strength were quite small, but Roglic fried himself on Ganda and then needed to recover, and the G2 fried themselves on Bergamo Alta allowing Roglic to come back.

Gaps in pure w/kg on Ganda were small and the level was very high (23:07 by 5 guys, it's faster than Pogacar in 2021).
However, there was a gap in endurance and Pog had more in tank at the end of this long race.

 

[Peyroteo94]

This is the real deal. Another myth is dead, "Pogacar can't descend" hail to the GOAT.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

I just saw a post-race interview with Roglic. He seemed pretty happy with third. Said he didn't have the legs and was basically holding on the last 50k.

He (and Rogla, Jr.) also looked pretty happy on the podium. Good for him, hopefully things will work out for him at Bora.

 

[Pantani_lives]

As soon as he went in the descent I knew he wanted to do a 30 km solo. The way he powered away on the big gear after each bend was impressive. Those cramps can't have been too serious, or he would have tried to hide it.

In the pursuit Rodriguez was the only one who went full. The others soon started meditating about the second place.

 

[Cookster15]

Congrats to Pogi - what an amazing bike rider. Climb, time trial and now a descender.

 

[Lequack]

Amazing ride from Pogacar, the way he times his form for Lombardia is just something magnificent. And the ride today was just, hats off. One of the greats.

 

[Lequack]

Before the race Pog showed off his team's new bus. Must've given him some extra motivation

https://twitter.com/x/status/1710716294067032187

View: https://twitter.com/BikeBlz/status/1710716294067032187?s=20

 

[Salvarani]

As soon as he went in the descent I knew he wanted to do a 30 km solo. The way he powered away on the big gear after each bend was impressive. Those cramps can't have been too serious, or he would have tried to hide it.

In the pursuit Rodriguez was the only one who went full. The others soon started meditating about the second place.

It happened not too long after the descent, where he had been slowing down and getting up to speed again after each corner.

Then coming back down and it is time to start working on the flat... I can see why he may felt some cramps. He had been going 100% on most of the descent and maybe got too eager in the beginning on the flat.

However, it looked like they told him from the car to ease up "you have 40 seconds" and just to manage himself. Got something from the car and the second group started their shenanigans, so he could cruise away in the end.

 

[KZD]

Really good race especially in the last 40km.

Pogačar wasn't super strong in the climbs but his descend attack was smart and strong to win in beautiful fashion his third straight Lombardia and continue to write cycling history.

Bagioli getting second is a success for him. I first took him seriously in GP Montreal ladt year when he got third behind Pogačar and Van Aert and today he shows that he is a force to be reckon with in future hilly monuments.

Roglič once again shows thst he has some trouble with distances well above 200km but he fought a lot and although I am not a fan, I am genuinely pleased he finally gets a podium here.

Among other riders, Vlasov looked very good on the climbs but then cracked a bit, Rodriguez once again shows that he is not only a great GT prospect but also has talent for the hilly classics, Carapaz showed a lot of tenacity and as for Remco, he cracked in Passo di Ganda, as I expected, just like in 2021 but this time he was stronger (despite the crash) and managed to get into the top10 with given the circumstances is not a bad result.

 

[Unchained]

Great bike race for many.. Including Remco who crashed, got up and worked his butt off..the U23 race was as good as it gets..really fantastic

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Before the race Pog showed off his team's new bus. Must've given him some extra motivation

https://twitter.com/x/status/1710716294067032187

View: https://twitter.com/BikeBlz/status/1710716294067032187?s=20

Love it! (We all know that brand new vehicle smell, it's just the best. But then the first ding or scratch on said brand new vehicle is just the worst and most painful - hopefully honking the horn is all that Pogi will get to do with the new team bus. )

 

[Unchained]

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IrPOMKbuEPo&pp=ygUVaWwgbG9tYmFyZGlhIDIwMjMgdTIz

This tiny Irish guy, Ryan, first chased and bridges across to the front group and then goes off by himself for a great effort, and at the end of the race there was a protest of the sprint.. Ryan gets second

 

[hayneplane]

Hilly classics team leader?

co-lead with Skjelmose

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

238kms, 4600 vertical meters, 40.1kms/hr average speed.

That is really fast. Faster even than in 2021 (0.5kms/hr faster).

In a few years, they‘ll ride this in >41kms/hr, average.

It gets faster all the time. Gladly also bike handling skills improve.

When I see these 180 riders pelotons in the one day classics, in the opening hours, I always hope everything goes well. The scenery, the roads of these prestigious, great classics actually aren’t made for 180 guys hammering through the villages and curves there. It‘s actually quite unsafe.

The good thing is, riders are strong and skilled, and the bikes are marvels.

I‘m glad for Pinot he enjoyed it, one last time. I never liked him this much, because he too often did not let the legs do the talking, but he even won this race once, so he can be proud.

 

[RedheadDane]

It gets faster all the time. Gladly also bike handling skills improve.

Hmm... I wonder... could there be a connection between the two?

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Hmm... I wonder... could there be a connection between the two?

I think, not necessarily - but yes, probably, in most cases, there will be a connection…

 

[Ilmaestro99]

I‘m glad for Pinot he enjoyed it, one last time. I never liked him this much, because he too often did not let the legs do the talking,

A lot of the time if you want to express something meaningful, you don't do it by riding a bike slightly faster than other people

 

[SafeBet]

co-lead with Skjelmose

Add Ciccone and that's a really strong trio for the hilly classics.

 

[Scarponi]

He was in great form at the Vuelta and previous races.

[QUOTE ="AmRacer, post: 2928880, member: 139418"]
One last Rogla stomp in JV Jersey

Mini stomp
[/QUOTE]
And he came top 5 in a monument, what’s the problem lol

 

[SHAD0W93]

Mini stomp

And he came top 5 in a monument, what’s the problem lol
[/QUOTE]
You’re acting like he didn’t have good form before the start and that isn’t true.

 

[Scarponi]

And he came top 5 in a monument, what’s the problem lol

You’re acting like he didn’t have good form before the start and that isn’t true.
[/QUOTE]
Wrong, never said that. I said he had a long season and he still came top 5 in a monument. There’s no shame falling just short lmao

 

[RedheadDane]

You’re acting like he didn’t have good form before the start and that isn’t true.

Wrong, never said that. I said he had a long season and he still came top 5 in a monument. There’s no shame falling just short lmao
[/QUOTE]

Guys... what is going on with the quoting?

 

[SHAD0W93]

Wrong, never said that. I said he had a long season and he still came top 5 in a monument. There’s no shame falling just short lmao

Your response was I’m assuming to those saying he doesn’t have it to be at his best at the end of a monument as shown by his previous results as well by saying he rode two GTs and no one peaks in October.

 

[Andy262]

Mathieu nearly got over the Muro di Sormano and tried in vain to chase back on - it was a weaker edition admittedly. With the right route some classics riders can compete in this.

Van der Poel is not a climber. Vingegaard is decent enough, but would absolutely not have been considered a particularly good descender in previous generations.