Velominati Super Prestige: Il Lombardia 2013
Il Lombardia, this is the race of the fallen leaves. This fall classic is a beautiful race in a beautiful region of Italy. The arduous route may change year to year but what does not change is the Italian need to win this thing. There is some national pride at stake here after the Italian men finished off the podium in Firenze. Bergamo to Lecco, 242 km, with five equally spaced climbs between the two. This is the final Monument of the 2013 season, directly on the heels of the World Championships. Purito won the 2012 edition of Il Lombardia and will be energized to win again after his crushing loss in the Worlds. Paulo Bettini won the race in his rainbow jersey, Rui Costa can’t be counted out not to do the same.
Many racers have already shut it down for the season. Finding great form in October is not for everyone. Yet peaking for the World Championships and Il Lombardia has been on the calendar for many of the puncheurs and strong climbers. And many others will be climbing off at the first feed zone, pulling into the Milano Malpensa airport before the race is over.
Yes this is a brutal race often won by a lone rider. Climbing, descending, good bike handling a must when the forecast calls for possible rain (yes it does again this year).
The toughest climb is in the middle of the day.
A few hundred meters after crossing Maglio the race turns to the left into the Muro di Sormano (Sormano Wall) (2 km at 15%) on a narrow and very steep (recently repaired) road, partly running through a grove, featuring steep u-bends and gradients at time exceeding 25% and even coming close to 30% around meter 1.000 of the route.
That should separate the contenders from those dismounting at the second feed zone on the course. The climbs of Madonna del Ghisallo and Villa Vergano are waiting then a final 3 km flat run into Lecco ends it. A proper start list is not yet available as the director sportifs are still calling in the unwilling domestiques to fill out their rosters but for now this will have to do. Good luck and good picking.
Here is a possible video link.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Rodriguez
3. Valverde
4. Pozzovivo
5. Martin, Dan
Seriously – what do I know
VSP PICKS:
1. J Rod (do it again)
2. Uran Utang (upright this time)
3. Zaugg (done it before)
4. Dan Martin (he’s a tryer)
5. Phil Giblets (lovely smile)
my guesses. need to register for this here, sometime
VSP PICKS:
1. gilbert
2. rodriguez
3. sagan
4. quintana
5. valvedre
VSP PICKS:
1. Purito
2. Uran Uran Uran Uran
3. Nibbles
4. Dan Martin
5. Voeckler
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbles
2. Jeyrod
3. S. Clarke
4. Sagoo
5. Faboo
VSP PICKS:
1. El Tiburon
2. Purito
3. Kerry Quintana
4. Say gan, I dare ya.
5. Andy Schleck (why the hell not)
VSP PICKS:
1. nibali
2. Rodriguez
3. Dan Martin
4. Uran Uran
5. Gilbert
I love this race! Watch the 2010 edition all the time.
Watching it, then heading over to cheer on riding pals at the in-town cross race, cowbell in pannier. Nice autumn Sunday!
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. J. Rodriguez
3. Sagan
4. Uran Uran
5. Diego Ulissi
Can’t believe I am entering picks for Il Lombardia already. Another season in the books and what a great one it has been. Let’s hope the classic of the falling leaves is a fitting finish for this fine season. Preferably (for my VSP anyway) with the flowing mane of the skinny Colombian leading the way across the line.
Huge thanks to Frank and the Keepers for another great VSP, it makes following the pro peloton even that more enjoyable. Now if we could just get you to do one for the cyclocross season, the fun would never have to stop. Just sayin’….
Cheers!
VSP PICKS:
1. Uran²
2. Nibbles
3. Purito
4. Danny Boy (Martin)
5. Saggy
Whoops – meant to put Costa in there.
VSP PICKS:
1. Uran²
2. Nibbles
3. Purito
4. Rui 5 names
5. Oh Danny Boy Martin
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbles
2. J Rod
3. Sagan
4. Uran
5. Valverde
VSP PICKS:
1. Rodriquez
2. Rui Costa
3. Nibali
4. Van Avermaet
5. Pozzovivo
VSP PICKS:
1. Dan Martin
2. Uran
3. Pozzovivo
4. Kwiatkowski
5. Gilbert
Fukkit. It’s nearly 2am, I’ve been drinking red wine and port and I’ve got a hill climb to do in the morning. Uninspired picks but that’s all the brain cells I can spare at this time.
VSP PICKS:
1. J-Rod
2. Phil Gil
3. Clenbutador
4. Dan Martin
5. Piti
VSP PICKS:
1. Rodriguez
2. Costa
3. Nibali
4. Uran Uran
5. Gilbert
No rhyme or reason, just more herding cats…
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Gilbert
3. Valverde
4. Quintana
5. Costa
VSP PICKS:
1. Purito
2. Nibali
3. Valverde
4. Uran
5. Dan Martin
VSP PICKS:
1. nibbles
2. matrin dan
3. simon clarke
4. rui costa
5. iginsky
VSP PICKS:
1. Joaquim Rodriguez
2. Vincenzo Nibali
3. Alejandro Valverde
4. Dan Martin
5. Rigoberto Uran
little update c/o Harminator reminding me that Clarkey’s in pretty good nick.
VSP PICKS:
1. His Nibs
2. J-Rod
3. Hungry Like the Wolf
4. Cool Clarkey!
5. Sags
VSP PICKS:
1. J Rod
2. Dan Martin
3. Nibali
4. Gilbert
5. Valverde
Cuz anything can happen in a bike race. Assuming these characters are all actually starting, that is.
VSP PICKS:
1. Simon Clarke
2. Roche
3. J-Rod
4. Kadri
5. Voeckler
VSP PICKS:
1. scarponi
2. nibali
3. moreno
4. rodriguez
5. valverde
Sagan abandons.
From the cyclingnews ticker…
Zabriskie:
“It’s been an interesting 13 years. But there’s a time for everybody, nothing lasts for ever, even cold November rain….”
@xyxax
Andy’s gone as well.
Good thing is it’s a long weekend here in South Australia, bad thing is I still have to work tomorrow…could hurt.
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@Mikael Liddy
It’s not like I don’t feel for Abandy, but it’s just so embarrassing.
Drink up!
@xyxax
I don’t get how you can make a living as a professional bike racer when you don’t race?
Nibbles down & looks to be out.
@Mikael Liddy
Scarponi too. Andy NF is such a trend-setter.
Looks like the Italian weather curse is striking the peleton again, crashes aplenty on the descent after the Surmano.
Tommy V giving it the berries! Reckon 60k might be ambitious for a solo break though.
@Mikael Liddy
Fuck! Sagan bails and Nibbles down. 2 out of 5 gone! Come on J Rod!!!
I often disparage Tommy V because of his camera-face making but that Dude has BALLZ! I cannot see him making it but damn, I am cherring for him. Cheeky little Fuck!
Anyone know where I can watch this in Britain? Eurosport seems to be preoccupied with cars and motorbikes at the moment.
Betancur down!
@V-inden
In the US, I am getting it via the RTBF feed from steephill
Hope that Tommy V has something in the tank! Cannot see him doing it but I imagine that we’ll be treated to some wonderfully facial expressions over the next ten Km’s.
No love lost between Spanish riders right now, eh?
@Buck Rogers
He’s been quiet this year: nice to see him animating the final race of the season.
@Steampunk
Great ride by him. Pure respect. Also great attack and ride by J Rod. Good day and great race overall.
@Buck Rogers
there you go.
Purito, Dirty, Majka, Martin…looked like Gasparotto who almost pipped Martin at the line? Martin seemed to have a mechanical or crash coming into the finishing straight?
Congrats to JRod…this has to take much of the sting of last week away. For Valverde though…another middle stepper can’t feel that great.
@Mikael Liddy
Two out of the five with one in the correct place. Could be worse.
All right Adrian! Congratulations to you and Sir J Rod. For those lucky enough to actually watch the race it sounded like a good ‘un. It was Dave Z’s last race, I hope he finished it.
Paris-Tours up next, the last gasp.
@mobygrape
Just saw your name. Are you a Cannon Cliffs climber per chance???
@xyxax
Thanks for that! In the end I cut my losses and went for a ride and left my frustration out on the road.
@V-inden
The finish of the race froze for me, but I was confident by that point it was going to Rodriguez. It was a perfect time to suit up and hit some hills. At least one thing went my way today.
A bit like my race season, the VSP comes good at the end. Today netted me a 3rd in the VSP and a win in our club hill climb; quite happy with that considering 2 years ago if have called myself a downhiller.