Il Lombardia 2016 [FULL RACE]

October 1st, 2016

Il Lombardia 2016– Como – Bergamo – 241 km

The Giro di Lombardia (English: Tour of Lombardy), officially Il Lombardia , is a cycling race in Lombardy, Italy.[1] It is traditionally the last of the five ‘Monuments’ of the season, considered to be the oldest and most prestigious one-day events in cycling, and one of the last events on the UCI World Tour calendar. Nicknamed the Classica delle foglie morte (“the Classic of the falling (dead) leaves”), it is the most important Autumn Classic in cycling. The race’s most famous climb is the Madonna del Ghisallo in the race finale.
The first edition was held in 1905. Since its creation, the Giro di Lombardia has been the classic with the fewest number of interruptions in cycling; only the editions of 1943 and 1944 were cancelled for reasons of war. Italian Fausto Coppi won a record five times.

Esteban Chaves (Orica-BikeExchange) made history, giving Colombia its first victory in the history of Il Lombardia, as he prevailed in a tactical finale over breakaway companions Diego Rosa (Astana) and Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac).

Rosa was distanced on the Bergamo Alta climb in the final five kilometres, along with Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale), but while the Frenchman could not manage to rejoin, Rosa fought his way back to Chaves and Uran as the two Colombians watched each other.

Rosa put in a probing attack in the final kilometer that was marked by Chaves, and then attempted to surprise with an attack out of the final turn in a bid for glory.

But it was not meant to be for the Italian, who ran out of steam and was passed by the diminutive Chaves just before the line.

The victory was a significant one for Chaves, as the first Monument of his career, the first one-day WorldTour victory and as the first rider from outside of Europe to win Il Lombardia.

“It’s unbelievable – I can’t believe I’ve won Lombardia,” Chaves said. “I turned pro here in Lombardy with Coldeportes, I lived in Bergamo for two years, and now I’ve won this race. It’s really special, I want to say thank you very much to everyone at Orica-BikeExchange. I’m really happy and feel really proud of my team.”

Chaves had an outstanding season, coming second overall in the Giro d’Italia and third in the Vuelta a España. This late in the season, the 241km distance meant everyone was fatigued, leaving the top climbers at an advantage.

“It was really hard, close to 5000 metres [of climbing], but I’m really happy. To finish the season with this victory is unbelievable.”

Chaves escaped with Uran and Bardet – with Rosa later bridging across – on the Selvino ascent, some 35km before the finish, and the quartet worked well together to hold off an elite chasing group, arriving at the final climb, the short but sharp Bergamo Alta, with an advantage of 1:30. The climb crested with 3.1km to go, and Chaves split the breakaway with a surge near the top.

“I tried to make a difference after the cobbles – I knew the last climb – but I arrived with Rigoberto and then Rosa closed the gap. The important thing was staying calm. I tried and I won.”

Rosa came into the race as co-leader with Astana teammate Fabio Aru, and did a load of work for his teammate ahead of the Selvino to reel in attacks. When he got the nod to go up the road as the strongest Astana man, and made it up to leading trio, he was confident he could win. After a scrappy chase-back after Bergamo Alta, he went early and just mis-timed his effort in the sprint.

“Sorry for the final,” Rosa said to his team, which he is set to leave at the end of this season, “because I think today was my day, but ok, next year.

“For me it was important to have a good finish to the season with Astana, and to finish with a win in Lombardia would have been the best, but second is good.”

How it happened

The riders looked worriedly at the heavy grey clouds hugging the hills above Como as they signed on at the start of the race. Overnight rain had left the fallen leaves and roads wet and everyone was hoping to stay dry and stay safe during the 241km of climbing and descending that made up the 2016 Il Lombardia.

BMC was the last team to sign on and the flag dropped on schedule, catching out several riders who had to dash from the start area to catch up to the peloton. These included Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale), with Robert Power (Orica-Bike Exchange) the last to leave. Unfortunately he struggled to fight his way through the crowds in the centre of Como and never made it to the peloton.

Bardiani-CSF’s Sonny Colbrelli was one of the first to attack in his final race with the Italian team before joining Bahrain-Merida in 2017. Zdenek Stybar chased after him but both were soon pulled back. The peloton stayed together for the first hour and until the foot of the Ghisallo – the first of the eight major climbs of the race. It as here as the gradient steepened that Damiano Caruso (BMC), Stefan Denifl (IAM), Mickael Cherel (AG2R La Mondiale) and Rudy Molard (Cofidis) jumped away to form the early break of the day. Denifl lead the move over the top and past the Madonna di Ghisallo cyclist’s chapel, as the bells rang out in welcome. The peloton was four minutes behind.

Cannondale-Drapac and Astana did the lion’s share of the work leading the chase. Davide Formolo climbed off at the summit of the Ghisallo but Moreno Moser buried himself for Uran.

After a fast 125km of racing, the break began the Valcava climb that signalled the start of the finale and the remaining six climbs. Caruso pushed the pace and Denifl was unable to hold the pace and was dropped. Cherel was dropped from the breakaway as other riders fell out of the back of the peloton as the climbs and tired legs and tired heads at the end of the season took their toll. The peloton reached the summit some 3:15 behind the break.

Caruso was forced to stop on the descent of Berbenno after dropping his chain but quickly caught Molard again and then passed him on the little-known but steep Sant-Antonio Abbandonato.

The climb sparked several attacks behind with Bardet, Esteban Chaves (Orica-BikeExchange) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) jumping off the front. Sensing it was an important move, Brambilla and Aru also take off in pursuit. Soon after Robert Gesink (LottoNl-Jumbo) went away with Diego Rosa (Astana), Davide Villela (Cannondale-Drapac), Pierre Latour (AG2R La Mondiale) and several others as the situation remained fluid over the top and on the descent.

The leading group was made up of: Fabio Aru and Diego Rosa (Astana), Romain Bardet and Pierre Latour (AG2R La Mondiale), Esteban Chaves (Orica-BikeExchange), Alejandro Valverde and Giovanni Visconti (Movistar), Rigoberto Uran and Davide Villella (Cannondale-Drapac), Gianluca Brambilla and David de la Cruz (Etixx-QuickStep), Warren Barguil (Giant-Alpecin), Alessandro de Marchi (BMC), Robert Gesink (LottoNL-Jumbo), Rodolfo Torres (Androni), and Rudy Molard (Cofidis).

The finish was still 50km away and so the riders in the move failed to commit as they studied who was there and who had missed out. The Miragolo San Salvatore climb was next but the attackers rode steady, allowing riders to come up from behind, including Uran who had been distanced.

Caruso was finally swept up and dropped on the 8.7km climb as the favourites readied for the final attacks. They came on the start of the Selvino when Chaves surged away with a sustained effort. Uran and Bardet dug deep to go with him. It was the decisive attack that showed who had the legs to win and who was forced to fight for survival and a placing in the top ten.

Rosa made a huge effort to jump across to the trio on the Selvino. He first tried to drag Aru up to the attack as the 5% gradient allowed a fast pace, then surged away alone to cross the gap over the top of the climb. He made it to the front making it four riders with 40 seconds on the chasers on the long, twisty descent into Bergamo.

Despite rain beginning as they approached the finish, the leaders made it safely off the Selvino and worked together to hold off the 10-rider chase behind. Luckily for the quartet, there was a lack of cooperation in that group, and they came into Bergamo with more than a minute’s lead.

Chaves lit it up on the Bergamo Alta, dropping Bardet and Rosa, but he and Uran were not committed to fending off the chase. Rosa was able to make it back and almost pull off the coup, but he ran out of gas just before the line.

Results :
1 Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-BikeExchange 6:26:36
2 Diego Rosa (Ita) Astana Pro Team
3 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale-Drapac
4 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:06
5 Davide Villella (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac 0:01:19
6 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 0:01:24
7 Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
8 Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-Alpecin
9 Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) BMC Racing Team
10 Pierre-Roger Latour (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
11 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:01:26
12 Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:02:04
13 Rodolfo Andres Torres (Col) Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec 0:02:05
14 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team 0:02:42
15 Rui Costa (Por) Lampre – Merida 0:05:02
16 Matvey Mamykin (Rus) Team Katusha
17 Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
18 Darwin Atapuma (Col) BMC Racing Team 0:05:33
19 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo 0:06:24
20 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team 0:06:36
21 Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale 0:07:17
22 Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre – Merida 0:08:10
23 Sébastien Reichenbach (Swi) FDJ
24 Kenny Elissonde (Fra) FDJ
25 Alessio Taliani (Ita) Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec
26 Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Team Sky
27 Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Dimension Data
28 Javier Moreno (Spa) Movistar Team
29 Frank Schleck (Lux) Trek-Segafredo
30 Daniel Moreno (Spa) Movistar Team
31 Michael Woods (Can) Cannondale-Drapac
32 Stéphane Rossetto (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:10:30
33 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Nippo – Vini Fantini
34 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team
35 Michael Gogl (Aut) Tinkoff Team
36 Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre – Merida
37 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
38 Sam Oomen (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
39 Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin
40 Sergey Lagutin (Rus) Team Katusha
41 Simone Petilli (Ita) Lampre – Merida 0:15:05
42 Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:15:51
43 Carlos Verona (Spa) Orica-BikeExchange
44 Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) FDJ
45 Pavel Kochetkov (Rus) Team Katusha
46 Yonder Godoy (Ven) Wilier Triestina-Southeast 0:15:54
47 Mattia Cattaneo (Ita) Lampre – Merida 0:15:57
48 Daniel Martin (Irl) Etixx – Quick-Step
49 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec
50 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) BMC Racing Team 0:16:01
51 Simone Velasco (Ita) Bardiani CSF 0:18:12
52 Víctor De La Parte (Spa) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
53 Petr Vakoc (Cze) Etixx – Quick-Step
54 Davide Rebellin (Ita) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
55 Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing Team
56 Andrei Solomennikov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
57 Daniel Martínez (Col) Wilier Triestina-Southeast
58 Romain Hardy (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
59 Stefan Denifl (Aut) IAM Cycling
60 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:18:16
61 David De La Cruz (Spa) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:20:09
DNF Dario Cataldo (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team
DNF Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team
DNF Miguel Angel Lopez (Col) Astana Pro Team
DNF Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Cyril Gautier (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Marco Bandiera (Ita) Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec
DNF Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec
DNF Alberto Nardin (Ita) Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec
DNF Daniele Ratto (Ita) Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec
DNF Serghei Tvetcov (Rom) Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec
DNF Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF
DNF Simone Andreetta (Ita) Bardiani CSF
DNF Enrico Barbin (Ita) Bardiani CSF
DNF Stefano Pirazzi (Ita) Bardiani CSF
DNF Lorenzo Rota (Ita) Bardiani CSF
DNF Edoardo Zardini (Ita) Bardiani CSF
DNF Francesco Manuel Bongiorno (Ita) Bardiani CSF
DNF Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
DNF Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team
DNF Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team
DNF Alberto Bettiol (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac
DNF Andre Cardoso (Por) Cannondale-Drapac
DNF Davide Formolo (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac
DNF Moreno Moser (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac
DNF Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Cannondale-Drapac
DNF Felix Grosschartner (Aut) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
DNF Jan Hirt (Cze) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
DNF Lukasz Owsian (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
DNF Maciej Paterski (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
DNF Simone Ponzi (Ita) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
DNF Branislau Samoilau (Blr) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
DNF Anthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Anthony Turgis (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Laurens De Plus (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step
DNF Pieter Serry (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step
DNF Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx – Quick-Step
DNF Alexandre Geniez (Fra) FDJ
DNF Jérémy Maison (Fra) FDJ
DNF Steve Morabito (Swi) FDJ
DNF Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ
DNF Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ
DNF Alexander Kolobnev (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
DNF Igor Boev (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
DNF Sergey Firsanov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
DNF Alexander Foliforov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
DNF Artem Nych (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
DNF Evgeny Shalunov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
DNF Aydar Zakarin (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
DNF Oliver Zaugg (Swi) IAM Cycling
DNF Stef Clement (Ned) IAM Cycling
DNF Mathias Frank (Swi) IAM Cycling
DNF Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) IAM Cycling
DNF Jarlinson Pantano (Col) IAM Cycling
DNF Lawrence Warbasse (USA) IAM Cycling
DNF Marcel Wyss (Swi) IAM Cycling
DNF Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre – Merida
DNF Kristijan Durasek (Cro) Lampre – Merida
DNF Jan Polanc (Slo) Lampre – Merida
DNF Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal
DNF Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Gert Dockx (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Maxime Monfort (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Louis Vervaeke (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Winner Anacona (Col) Movistar Team
DNF Jon Izaguirre (Spa) Movistar Team
DNF Dayer Quintana (Col) Movistar Team
DNF Francisco Ventoso (Spa) Movistar Team
DNF Grega Bole (Slo) Nippo – Vini Fantini
DNF Pier Paolo De Negri (Ita) Nippo – Vini Fantini
DNF Iuri Filosi (Ita) Nippo – Vini Fantini
DNF Eduard Michael Grosu (Rom) Nippo – Vini Fantini
DNF Yuma Koishi (Jpn) Nippo – Vini Fantini
DNF Genki Yamamoto (Jpn) Nippo – Vini Fantini
DNF Gianfranco Zilioli (Ita) Nippo – Vini Fantini
DNF Jack Haig (Aus) Orica-BikeExchange
DNF Damien Howson (Aus) Orica-BikeExchange
DNF Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica-BikeExchange
DNF Ruben Plaza (Spa) Orica-BikeExchange
DNF Amets Txurruka (Spa) Orica-BikeExchange
DNF Robert Power (Aus) Orica-BikeExchange
DNF Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data
DNF Natnael Berhane (Eri) Dimension Data
DNF Omar Fraile (Spa) Dimension Data
DNF Serge Pauwels (Bel) Dimension Data
DNF Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) Dimension Data
DNF Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Dimension Data
DNF Jaco Venter (RSA) Dimension Data
DNF Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
DNF Fredrik Ludvigsson (Swe) Team Giant-Alpecin
DNF Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Team Giant-Alpecin
DNF Sindre Skjoestad Lunke (Nor) Team Giant-Alpecin
DNF Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
DNF Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha
DNF Alberto Losada (Spa) Team Katusha
DNF Egor Silin (Rus) Team Katusha
DNF Rein Taaramae (Est) Team Katusha
DNF Angel Vicioso (Spa) Team Katusha
DNF Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
DNF Koen Bouwman (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
DNF Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
DNF Bertjan Lindeman (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
DNF Paul Martens (Ger) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
DNF Bram Tankink (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
DNF Alexey Vermeulen (USA) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
DNF Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Team Sky
DNF Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky
DNF Leopold Konig (Cze) Team Sky
DNF Mikel Nieve (Spa) Team Sky
DNF Wouter Poels (Ned) Team Sky
DNF Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team Sky
DNF Ben Swift (GBr) Team Sky
DNF Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff Team
DNF Jesper Hansen (Den) Tinkoff Team
DNF Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff Team
DNF Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff Team
DNF Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Tinkoff Team
DNF Sergio Paulinho (Por) Tinkoff Team
DNF Pawel Poljanski (Pol) Tinkoff Team
DNF Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek-Segafredo
DNF Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
DNF Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Trek-Segafredo
DNF Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo
DNF Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
DNF Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Trek-Segafredo
DNF Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Wilier Triestina-Southeast
DNF Julen Amezqueta (Spa) Wilier Triestina-Southeast
DNF Rafael Andriato (Bra) Wilier Triestina-Southeast
DNF Andrea Fedi (Ita) Wilier Triestina-Southeast
DNF Cristian Rodriguez (Spa) Wilier Triestina-Southeast
DNF Eugert Zhupa (Alb) Wilier Triestina-Southeast