Tour of Lombardy 2024: Route, entrants and favorites

Presentation of the route, the entrants and favorites of the 2024 Tour of Lombardy, which will take place on Sunday October 13. The Dead Leaves Classic, the final Monument and last meeting of the season, will be broadcast on Eurosport. Tadej Pogacar, big favorite, will show off his new World Champion tunic.

Like every year, Lombardy marks the end of the cycling season. Many runners choose to end their season on the “Classic of dead leaves“.

This year, the Como/Bergamo alternation continues, with a departure from Bergamo, as in 2022. Two major changes should be noted on this route. First of all, the Civiglio cannot be borrowed this year. The absence of this legendary climb will clearly influence the race, making the last 30 kilometers much less difficult, especially since San Fermo della Battaglia will only be climbed once in the finale, unlike 2022.

The second big novelty is the return of Sormano. Absent from the 2022 edition, the legendary Lombard pass makes its return for the 2024 edition, but unfortunately not on its “historic” side. The runners will approach it from the side they were used to descending, a slope devoid of the famous wall in the last kilometers.

Nearly 5,000 meters of elevation gain over the entire route, but more than half of it is in the first 100 kilometers. The ascent of the Madonna del Ghisallo on this slope and the withdrawal of Civiglio make the finale less difficult than before. The addition of Sormano, even if it is climbed by the slope without the final wall, still offers terrain conducive to attacks for climbers.

Barely more than 20 kilometers after the start, the runners will already face the first notable climb out of Bergamo: the Forcelino di Bianzanowith its 6 km at 5% average slope. The descent that will follow will take them to Gazzanigaat kilometer 40.4, where the second climb of the day, the Passo di Ganda, will begin.

● 9.2 km at 7.3 %

● Summit located more than 200km from the finish and which should not have a direct impact on the race scenario.

After a long descent of more than 18 kilometers, the runners will continue their route west towards Sedrina. They will then find themselves at the foot of the third difficulty of the day, which will be immediately followed by the fourth.

● 5.4 km at 5.2 %

● 10.1 km at 6.2 %

After the summit of Valpianathe next 50 kilometers will be less difficult. You will have to wait for entry into Onnoalong Lake Como at kilometer 157, to tackle the next difficulty of the route. This is the Osigo saddle (5 km at 5.6%) which will directly precede the Madonna del Ghisallo. This year, the Madonna will be climbed from its other side.

● 6.3 km at 4.1 %

● Simplest and rolling side of the ascent

The descent will be via the slope that runners usually climb. They will then follow the lake for around fifteen kilometers before reaching the foot of the Sormano has Link.

● 12.9 km at 6.4 %

● No wall here, but a longer climb

● Last kilometer at more than 9% average just after the flat area

At the summit, there will be 42 kilometers to go. Runners will first have to negotiate the technical descent of Sormano towards d’Assolocated 12 kilometers further.

No Civiglio This year. Runners will enter directly into Como from the south, after crossing a section of around twenty kilometers, slightly hilly.

Once you enter Como, there will only be one difficulty left to try to make a difference.

● 2.7 km at 7.2 %

● Summit 5.3 km from the finish

The descent towards Como3.6km long, is done on a wide and not very technical road. The last 1,700 meters will be flat until the line.

Written by Enzo, aka Analyst Phoenix

This less selective course gives hope to certain punchers, like Mathieu Van der Poelinitially after losing weight to try to keep his Rainbow jersey. The Sormano will undoubtedly be the key point of the race: this is where the climbers and their teams will have to impose a sustained pace to outrun the punchers before launching an attack in the steepest percentages. But as you have understood, it is not the most difficult slope so it risks going very very quickly.

There will still be around forty kilometers after this climb, with the only remaining difficulty being San Fermo della Battaglia. A possibility therefore, for well-organized teams to return, if they manage to agree. A final climb probably not selective enough if anyone had the idea of ​​betting everything on it.

Unbeatable in 2024, freshly crowned with his world title, Tadej Pogacar is the huge favorite for the 2024 Tour of Lombardy in his own right. Already a triple winner over the last three editions, can the Slovenian be beaten? The luck for the others is that the course is easier but you will have to agree to work in a group after the Sornano to beat it. Furthermore, it may be that, after celebrating his title a little too much, he is less celebrating than usual, like Valverde in 2018, only 11th. But hey, with Pogi, these are things that don’t happen often.

Remco Evenepoelif he is on paper his number 1 opponent, will have to raise his level after a disappointing world championship. He will also have to control his nerves if he is chasing the Slovenian or simply try to follow him if he does not want to have to take responsibility for the chase, which is logical given his status. Enrique Masstill in good shape at the end of the season, 2nd in 2022, will be a big candidate too. David Gaudualso in good shape, is a candidate for the podium. As for Primoz Rogliche often fails in the classic of dead leaves, like in 2023 when he had just beaten Pogi a few days earlier. What about Mathieu Van der Poel ? This route is a good test for him. The Sornano is too long on paper but he could take advantage of the technical descent to regain tens of seconds and reintegrate the counter group. After that, who knows?

Overall, we expect an attack from Pogi in the Sornano, who goes solo, a group of people behind who will have to get along and with Van der Poel, dropped but who returns on the descent. Thereafter, it will only depend on Pogi’s legs and the good understanding of the group pursuing him.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tadej Pogacar

⭐⭐⭐ Remco Evenepoel – Enric Mas

⭐⭐ Primoz Roglic – Mathieu Van der Poel – Ben O’Connor

⭐ David Gaudu – Alexander Vlasov – Lennert Van Eetvelt – Juan Ayuso