Despite coinciding with the European Championships, the U23 Il Lombardia is ready to deliver strong emotions with a field of participants of the highest level. On Saturday, October 4th, with both the start and finish in Oggiono, 176 riders will line up for a total of 170 kilometers. The foreign armada starts as the favorite, looking to continue its winning streak from the past five editions. The last Italian to take victory was Andrea Bagioli in 2019.
Let’s start by saying that making predictions won’t be easy, considering the number of contenders aiming to win the 97th edition of this international U23 race, organized by Velo Club Oggiono.
The analysis begins with the international riders, starting with Scotland’s Thornley (Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe Rookies), who finished fifth at the World Championships in Kigali, followed by British riders Pattinson, Rowe, and Belgian Keppens — all racing for Visma Lease a Bike Development. Australian Rogers and American Kessler will lead a Lidl-Trek team determined to hit the mark, much like Soudal Quick-Step Devo, which will rely on Brazilian Bravo (8th at the Giro della Valle d’Aosta), Belgian De Clercq, and Spaniard Zafra.
Also in with a strong chance is British rider Finlay Tarling (brother of WorldTour pro Joshua Tarling of Ineos Grenadiers), representing the Israel Premier Tech Academy. For Lotto Development, the key man will be Cuylits, who claimed victory against the pros at the Tour of Istanbul in Turkey earlier in September. The list of contenders also includes French riders Boulet (Groupama-FDJ Conti) and Tapiz (Equipo Finisher), as well as Danish rider Grenaae from General Store, runner-up at the recent Ruota d’Oro. Also lining up are fellow Frenchmen Sanchez, Basset, and Duclos Lasalle — son of the legendary Gilbert, a two-time Paris-Roubaix winner — along with L’Hote (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), fresh off a third-place finish yesterday at the Ruota d’Oro in Tuscany. Rounding out the list are Portuguese rider Tavares, British riders Golliker and Dodd, Austrian Putz, and Polish rider Gruszczynsky of Biesse Carrera Premac.
Once again, the climbs of the U23 Il Lombardia promise an exciting show. In our next update, we’ll turn the spotlight on the Italian riders capable of challenging the foreign dominance.
(photo: Brazilian Bravo and Frenchman Basset)
