5★
Il Lombardia
The 120th Il Lombardia — the 'race of the falling leaves' — takes place on Saturday October 10, 2026 as the fifth and final Monument of the season. The 2026 route covers approximately 240km through the spectacular autumn scenery of Lombardy, including the lakes Como and Lecco. The course traverses signature climbs — the Madonna del Ghisallo, Muro di Sormano (when included), Sella di Osigo, and the climactic Civiglio + San Fermo della Battaglia finishing pair when the race finishes in Como. Approximately 4,500m+ of climbing makes Il Lombardia the toughest Monument of the season.
Where to watch
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Il Lombardia
Where the race is made
Who to watch
Narratives to watch
- Last Monument of the season: As the final of cycling's five Monuments, Il Lombardia closes the WorldTour calendar with one of the most dramatic one-day races of the year. Climbers traditionally feature heavily.
- Autumn scenery: The race traverses Lake Como and the Lombard foothills as the leaves turn — visually, one of the most iconic days on the calendar.
- 120th edition: Among the oldest one-day Classics in cycling, Il Lombardia has been continuously contested since 1905 (with WWI interruptions). The 2026 edition is the 120th running.
- Climber's race: Unlike the spring Monuments (Roubaix, Flanders, Liège), Lombardia rewards pure climbers — its 4,500m+ of elevation across long ascents like the Ghisallo and the closing pair makes it a peakclimbing test.
Form book & lore
First held in 1905, Il Lombardia is one of cycling's five Monuments and the oldest continuously contested one-day Italian race after Milano-Sanremo. Multiple-time winners include Fausto Coppi (five wins), Sean Kelly, and modern-era champions. Tadej Pogačar set a record in 2025 by becoming the first rider to win five consecutive editions of any single Monument. The 2026 route avoids the steep Muro di Sormano descent where Remco Evenepoel crashed in 2020.
When to tune in
Decisive moves usually come on the Civiglio (climbed ~20km from finish) and the final San Fermo della Battaglia. Solo escapes are common — only Lombardia's combination of climbing and descending savvy can produce them. The closing descent into Como has historically been one of the most dangerous in the calendar.