Recap: Il Lombardia 2018

News from the final monument

Pinot's most historic season came in 2018 when the Frnechmen won Il Lombardia and Milano Torino to close out the year. He had already captured two stage wins at the Vuelta.

RBA/AFP Photos: Bettini

A Monument for Pinot

France’s Thibaut Pinot won the Tour of Lombardy, the fifth and final ‘Monument’ of the one-day classics season on Saturday. Pinot, of the Groupama-FDJ team, soloed over the finish line at Lake Como to win the 241 kilometer-long ‘Race of the Falling Leaves’, which began in Bergamo.

Italy’s defending champion Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain) finished second 30 seconds behind, with Belgian Dylan Teuns (BMC) third at 43sec.

“It’s my most beautiful victory,” said the 28-year-old climbing specialist, who also won the Milan-Turin semi-classic a few days ago.

“To win here in front of Vincenzo, I couldn’t have dreamed of better!” He becomes the first French winner of the race since Laurent Jalabert 21 years ago.

The race sprung to life after 50 kilometers at the Muro di Sormano, where Nibali and Pinot overtook Lotto’s Primoz Roglic who had lead going into the very steep climb. The pair, joined by Roglic, powered ahead in the descent.

A group including newly-crowned world champion Alejandro Valverde trailed at 40 seconds without being able to close the gap. Pinot and Nibali shook off their rivals at the Civiglio, the penultimate climb, 15 kilometers from the line.

The French rider broke away from the Italian at the summit to pull 20 seconds ahead, extending his lead over the three kilometer drop to the finish line at Como.

Teuns was third among a troup of riders including Colombian Rigoberto Uran.

Pinot finished the season on a high after the low of being hospitalized the night before the Giro d’Italia finish, when he had been in third place, before being diagnosed with pneumonia. He missed the Tour de France, but won two stages of the Tour of Spain.

Thibaut Pinot (FRA – Groupama – FDJ) – Vincenzo Nibali (ITA – Bahrain – Merida) – Primoz Roglic (SLO – Team LottoNL – Jumbo)

Results

1. Thibaut Pinot (FRA/Groupama-FDJ) 5hr 53min 25sec,

2. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/BAH) at 32sec,

3. Dylan Teuns (BEL/BMC) 43,

4. Rigoberto Uran (COL/EFD) same time,

5. Tim Wellens (BEL/LOT) s.t.

6. Ion Izagirre (ESP/BAH) s.t.,

7. Rafal Majka (POL/BOR) s.t.

8. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/BAH) s.t.

9. Dan Martin (IRL/EAU) 48

10. George Bennett (NZL/LNL) 1:22

11. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/MOV) at 1:31

12. Egan Bernal (COL/SKY) s.t.

13. Michael Woods (CAN/EFD) s.t.

14. Sebastien Reichenbach (SUI/FDJ) s.t.

15. Mikel Nieve (ESP/MIT) s.t.

16. Dario Cataldo (ITA/AST) 1:57

17. Primoz Roglic (SLO/LNL) 3:04

18. Patrick Konrad (AUT/BOR) 3:33

19. Mattia Cattaneo (ITA/AND) s.t.

20. Jakob Fuglsang (DEN/AST) s.t.

Selected:

26. Warren Barguil (FRA/FST) 3:54

29. Adam Yates (GBR/MIT) 4:01,

38. Rui Costa (POR/EAU) 7:02

48. Wilco Kelderman (NED/SUN) 7:02

54. Fabio Aru (ITA/EAU) 8:40

64. Bauke Mollema (NED/TRE) 10:39

Main retirements: Romain Bardet (FRA/ALM), Bob Jungels (LUX/QST), Gianni Moscon (ITA/SKY), Michael Matthews (AUS/SUN)