Il Lombardia route

AlexPD84
AlexPD84 Posts: 3

Hello.

My wife has booked flights to Milan for my 40th and is booking somewhere for us to stay that allows us to watch some of the race. The il lombardia website is terrible and its surprisingly hard to find the route. The last one on there looks like 2017, but i thought they varied it slightly.

Any links to the 2024 route would be much appreciated (also any recommendations on good location to stay).

Thanks!

Comments

  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,575

    The trend in recent years is to switch the start and finish between Como and Bergamo. Last year's race started in Como and ended in Bergamo so, if that trend continues it should start in Bergamo and finish in Como. RCS, the race organisers, are notoriously bad at announcing the route, so it usually isn't available until a few weeks beforehand though I'm afraid.

    Personally I'd stay in Como, as the location is stunning and there is lots to see and do. If they use the traditional Como finish, where the race climbs up to Civiglio above Como, drops down into the town, then out and up the San Fermo climb, before returning to finish on the Lungo Lario on the lake front, then you can easily see the race twice.

    I've been to watch the race multiple times and have found that it's difficult to see multiple times as the route goes into the hills above Bergamo where there are fewer roads and it's hard to find places where you can see the race and get away again without running into road closures. You also need a car to do that, obviously.

    The race usually has an end of term feel to it, so the riders are more relaxed so if you can make it to the start, you can usually walk around the team vehicles and get to see the riders. get good photos and often talk to some of them.

  • AlexPD84
    AlexPD84 Posts: 3

    Thanks. Always love the scenery for lombardia, but been like most of the recent classics. One rider shuts it down miles out of the finish (Pog!!)

    Can only hope some of the crashes for the big guns early on in the season fires them up to salvage something here.

    Got 3 full days there so looking forward to it.

  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,575

    The route is available now. Start in Bergamo, finish in Como as expected.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/DAA_1NDuR0B/?igsh=dGxtZmxra25qMTZ3

  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,575

    Better pic of route below:


    They do the Ghisallo from the easier side, then descend down to Bellagio, along the lake to Nesso then up the side of the Sormano they usually descend, then descend down to Como before the short, and decisive, climb to San Fermo di Battaglia.

  • Is San Fermo della Battaglia the one that Roglic fell on in the Giro in 2019?

  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,575

    They did the climb up to Civiglio that day, and, if memory serves, Roglic came a cropper on that descent. That's been featured as part of the Como finishing loop for the past few editions of Lombardia that have finished in Como, usually followed by the climb up to San Fermo della Battaglia, but they've decided to shake things up a bit this year.

  • AlexPD84
    AlexPD84 Posts: 3

    Thanks, we saw the pass twice through Como. I was expecting the total dominance by Pog, but stoll great to experience it live, and Como and the wider region are beautiful.