VIDEO: As we count down to the final Monument of the 2024 pro road cycling season, I talk with Chris Horner about the Giro di Lombardia, running 252km form Bergamo to Como and taking in the climbs around one of cycling most scenic regions, and what makes this race so special.
Click Play to watch the interview, and see more at the PEZ Youtube channel here.
Since 2015, the race has swapped start / finish lines with Como, running a slightly different route each year, but always using the climbs around Lake Como as the defining parts of the corsa.
The start rolls out from the Bergamo city center, in the shadow of the ancient and picturesque Citta Alta on Saturday, Oct. 12.
It’s call the “climbers’ Classic” for one reason – note the above route profile for details.
The race always includes a climb past the famous Madonna del Ghisallo church. In Fausto Coppi’s day, this climb (taken from the north approach via Bellagio) was the defining feature if the route. Coppi won the race 5 times, the first four after he solo’d over the top on his way to the finish in Milan.
This year the route takes the climb from south to north, descending down the steeper side to Bellagio before turning left and running down the lake to the difficult Sormano climb.
The Muro di Sormano is notorious for its steep grades of up to 17%, but this year the race tackles the climb from the west, gaining 835m over 13km with an average grade ober 6% – making it a Cat 1. climb.
Late summer and early Fall is a perfect time to ride here – tourists are fewer, and temperatures are ideal.
And let’s not forget the best way to cap this day is with a celebratory negroni, and a plate of piping hot risotto Milanese.
• See Chris Horner’s excellent race analysis on Youtube here:
/ @chrishornercycling
• See all the Giro di Lombardia previews and full race action and photos on PEZ here:
https://pezcyclingnews.com/tag/lombardia24/
Keep it dialed to PEZ for more Giro di Lombardia previews as we look back at what makes this race cool, and look forward to the action this Saturday. Al will have a full race report plus all the big photos as the Monuments season wraps up this weekend.
The post Lombardia ’24 Preview Chat w/ Chris Horner appeared first on PezCycling News.
