Il Lombardia 2025, monument, October 11

[gunara]

A marriage is like Lombardia: It goes up and down, but it's also got great curves and beautiful scenery. However, it will sometimes already be over after 5 hours once a Slovenian guy makes his move.

Nothing Pogacaresque for me, it goes up and down and in the end the wife always wins by blatant wheelsucking or moto-drafting

 

[CyclistAbi]

Anyway, I probably won't be able to watch. My older sister suggested we "hold Saturday" at their house.
We meet up for dinner every Saturday, but when it's at my parents' there's a general understanding that I'll just plonk myself down in front of the telly and watch some random bike race. Even if it does run the risk of being accused of being a boring aunt...

I am in exactly the same situation. The problem is that it's almost a 1 hour drive to my sister's house and I expect to arrive during the final. So unless Pogacar decides to attack late, I will only briefly check my mobile and try not to be the boring brother for once.

Same sister?

 

[BigCoward]

blatant wheelsucking

Afraid to ask?

 

[YellowSocks]

Afraid to ask?

I am not sure about the Remco way...

 

[YellowSocks]

Unless the person is reading out loud.

Anyway, I probably won't be able to watch. My older sister suggested we "hold Saturday" at their house.
We meet up for dinner every Saturday, but when it's at my parents' there's a general understanding that I'll just plonk myself down in front of the telly and watch some random bike race. Even if it does run the risk of being accused of being a boring aunt...

Now it's time to infect your nephews. Mine really liked AGR (there was suspense, the WORLD CHAMPION, and a rider who BOUGHT HIS JERSEY AT LIDL!!!). Their parents, if they don't follow cycling, will curse you, but you'll have allies.

 

[Cookster15]

He’ll gradually weed it down to a group of 4 or 5, then he’ll take off. Remco will be left with a small group that will include probably Healy, someone from Lidl, Ayuso and Del Toro. He’ll get annoyed that they aren’t working together and will take off alone. Over the course of the final 40-50km he’ll pull Pogacars gap down from 1:30 to 1:15. He’ll put a couple of minutes into everyone else. 10 minutes will cover the top 10.

Sounds like a good prediction. Sadly I see no way Remco could get away from Pogacar like how he won the 2022 worlds.

 

[Cookster15]

Anyway, I probably won't be able to watch. My older sister suggested we "hold Saturday" at their house.
We meet up for dinner every Saturday, but when it's at my parents' there's a general understanding that I'll just plonk myself down in front of the telly and watch some random bike race. Even if it does run the risk of being accused of being a boring aunt...

This is an interesting insight into how the sport is followed in Europe. As I mentioned here elsewhere recently, we have a car race in Australia that goes all day (it is happening this weekend). As a child I used to randomly come into the lounge room to see how the race was going during the day. I never thought people would do similar following a bike race but that makes perfect sense.

But those who think Pogacar's dominance is killing the sport should also realise the sport is global these days. Thanks to the internet fans on the other side of the world can also enjoy big races live without sitting behind a screen for 5 or 6 hours.

 

[RedheadDane]

Now it's time to infect your nephews. Mine really liked AGR (there was suspense, the WORLD CHAMPION, and a rider who BOUGHT HIS JERSEY AT LIDL!!!). Their parents, if they don't follow cycling, will curse you, but you'll have allies.

I think I might already have.
At least I'll sometimes find them sitting next to me/on top of me while I'm watching.

 

[peterfin]

Same sister?

Who knows. She is always in for surprise.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Fausto M said he doesn't have big expectations for the race on his Instagram (((((((((((((

 

[Peyroteo94]

Fausto M said he doesn't have big expectations for the race on his Instagram (((((((((((((

I hope you are joking and you also don't expect anything from him.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

I hope you are joking and you also didn't expect anything from him.

Of course I don't expect anything from him but there's always hope if you are big fan of. A rider. I hoped for one top ten this season and now only lombardia and gianxi left.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Of course I don't expect anything from him but there's always hope

Hope of what? Top10?

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Hope of what? Top10?

Top 10, an attack, being in the breakway, doing good and visible work for his teammates for a strong result. Any of that

 

[ashhutch1997]

Get where you're coming Ash from with the ennui and as of now the odds seem massively in your favour, but you know now you've posted this it has the potential to become the mother of all backfires.

I shall watch, not just for the scenery but because I still believe the best thing about sport is that the weak can sometimes beat the powerful if the circumstances align, and I'd like to be there when they do. It hasn't happened much recently admittedly, but I watched Roger Hammond bang his head against a wall for 10 years in the classics and am in the middle of Fred Wright doing exactly the same thing so probably developed a bit of resilience to the disappointment.

I'd at least keep an occasional eye on proceedings if I were you.

Well said Tim, but unless there's a crash or bad luck, there's no way we aren't going to have the same outcome as the last 4 years.

 

[YavorD]

Fausto M said he doesn't have big expectations for the race on his Instagram (((((((((((((

He is just going under the radar, but I have a feeling he will join the dark side (aka Tadej Pogacar aka Lord Voldemort) tomorrow

 

[Ilmaestro99]

4 years ago on the 9th of October, the best decision of my life: to marry my wife.
Tadej Pogacar won his first Lombardia on that day and was never defeated afterwards.
Should I divorce to end the streak?

Finally we found the cause of Fausto's decline

 

[Red Rick]

4 years ago on the 9th of October, the best decision of my life: to marry my wife.
Tadej Pogacar won his first Lombardia on that day and was never defeated afterwards.
Should I divorce to end the streak?

You decided to get married the day of?

I thought I was indecisive.

 

[Rob5091]

There was a long standing joke on the forum of if a certain member could n't watch then it was worth watching ... past live karma or some such affliction.

 

[RedheadDane]

You decided to get married the day of?

Might have just decided to head to the court house together.
Well... it's generally a good idea to go together in a situation like that...

Who knows. She is always in for surprise.

You think you might be my younger sister?

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I hope you are joking and you also didn't expect anything from him.

Masnada is the second Lombardy contender according to our experts' opinion (see the poll). He's tied with Coppi (albeit Il Campionissimo's participation has not been confirmed yet).

 

[topcat]

They have started pedalling their wares in the last big race of 2025. The forum remains stoical.

 

[dobrien]

Afraid to ask?

blatant wheelsucking or moto-drafting

This sounds vaguely naughty!

 

[Netserk]

Grande Trucker!

 

[Netserk]

Simmons is by far the strongest rider in the break.