Il Lombardia 2014 preview

Il Lombardia is the last of the season's five Monunments

Il Lombardia, formerly known as the Tour of Lombardy, will this year take place over 254km of hilly terrain in northern Italy and sees Joaquim Rodriguez return in search of a third consecutive victory.

The race organisers have repeatedly altered the parcours in recent years and despite using the same course for the previous two editions, the peloton will tackle another new route this year, starting in Como and ending in Bergamo.

The route

The riders roll out of Como and begin the largely flat run towards the first climb of the day, the iconic Madonna del Ghisallo, which has been used at the end of the race in previous years but has been shifted to the front this time around.

The next real test is the Colle Gallo, a 7.4km climb with a maximum gradient of ten per cent, but it is on the following ascent of Passo di Ganda where the first major selections could be made.

The climb arrives with 189km already in the legs and lasts a sapping 9.2km, averaging 7.3 per cent in gradient and reaching a punishing maximum of 15 per cent.

The short Bracca ramp will disrupt the descent off the Ganda, before the bunch hit the Berbenno climb. This short test is far from the longest on the route, at 5.5km, but with a maximum incline of ten per cent, we may see the group of contenders whittled down even further.

The race will then reach its crux on the part-cobbled ascent of Bergamo Alta, which, although short, reaches a maximum of 12 per cent and is perfect for attacks, so will almost certainly see a lone attacker or small elite group go clear. From the summit, there is only 3.4km of downhill left to the finish.

The favourites

Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha)
The 35-year-old Spaniard is looking for a third consecutive victory at Il Lombardia and while this year's race does not finish in Lecco, like it did for his two wins, the course still very much suits his explosive style. He will be looking to escape solo on the final climb, because if a small group arrive at the finish, he is unlikely to win a sprint.

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar)
Valverde is on a superb run of form. Since winning La Fleche Wallonne in April, his results in both one-day and stage races have been: 2nd, 2nd, 1st, 2nd, 4th, 1st, 3rd, 3rd. That basically means the 34-year-old Spaniard will be there or thereabouts on Sunday. The course also suits his style, but unlike Rodriguez, he can sprint if there is more than one rider in contention going into the last 1km.

Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma - Quick-Step)
The multi-talented 24-year-old Pole claimed the world road race title last weekend on a course not too dissimilar to Il Lombardia and clearly has fine form. The key to his chances is whether or not he can match the explosiveness of the likes of Rodriguez on the final climb, because if he can't, there isn't enough time to catch back up before the finish. That said, don't be surprised to see Kwiatkowski make his move in advance of the final climb.

Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing)
The 32-year-old Belgian likes this race, having won it back to back in 2009 and 2010, and he comes into this year's edition is good form after figuring prominently in the finale of last weekend's world road race. The short and explosive nature of the final climb should not be too much of a problem, but he will need to avoid going too deep on the big climbs earlier in the race.

Fabio Aru (Astana)
The young Italian doesn't have great pedigree in one-day races, but he does have good form. Two stage wins on summit finishes and a fifth place overall at the Vuelta a Espana speak for themselves, but he was also fourth at Milano-Torino on Wednesday, having out-performed Rodriguez and Alberto Contador. In the absence of Vincenzo Nibali, Aru can also count on the support of a strong Astana team.

The outsiders

Dan Martin (Garmin-Sharp)
It didn't work out for Martin in the world road race, but Il Lombardia's course suits the Irishman and he has a good record in the race, with three top-ten finishes including a second place in 2011 and fourth last year. He can climb with the best on short ascents, but he will be need to be well positioned to follow the decisive moves.

Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo)
The winner of the recent Vuelta a Espana should make light work of the climbs of Il Lombardia, but the fact he has a dreadful record in one-day races means he cannot be classed as one of the favourites. He also lacks a sprint, should it be needed, but a sixth-place finish at Milano-Torino on Wednesday suggested he still has form carried over from the Vuelta.

Daniel Moreno (Katusha)
Katusha have a two-pronged attack, with Moreno their plan B should Rodriguez's challenge fall short. The 33-year-old Spaniard is not as explosive as his team-mate and compatriot, but he isn't far off, and has won La Fleche Wallonne in the past. He was also third in Milano-Torino on Wednesday, so is looking sharp.

Tony Gallopin (Lotto Belisol)
The 26-year-old Frenchman is not averse to late climbs and then a downhill to the finish, so could well like his chances at Il Lombardia. He won a stage of similar ilk at Tour de France and then finished sixth in last Sunday's world road race after impressively working his way into the first chase group behind winner Kwiatkowski, so is in good form.

Bauke Mollema (Belkin)
The 27-year-old Dutchman will be at home on the climbs of Il Lombardia and has fared well in hilly one-day races this season, having finished seventh in the Amstel Gold Race, fourth in La Fleche Wallone and second at the Clasica San Sebastian.

Previous winners

2013: Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa)
2012: Joaquim Ropdriguez (Spa)
2011: Oliver Zaugg (Swi)
2010: Philippe Gilbert (Bel)
2009: Philippe Gilbert (Bel)
2008: Damiano Cunego (Ita)
2007: Damiano Cunego (Ita)
2006: Paolo Bettini (Ita)
2005: Paolo Bettini (Ita)
2004: Damiano Cunego (Ita)

Brit watch

Ben Swift (Team Sky)
Adam Yates (Orica-GreenEdge)
Simon Yates (Orica-GreenEdge)

Teams and riders

AG2R-LA MONDIALE
Country: France. Status: WorldTour
Team: Romain Bardet (Fra), Carlos Betancur (Col), Mikael Cherel (Fra), Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita), Matteo Montaguti (Ita), Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita), Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra), Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra).

ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI-VENEZUELA
Country: Italy. Status: Pro Continental
Team: Franco Pellizzotti (Ita), Tiziano Dall-Antonia (Ita), Yonder Godoy (Col), Antonio Parrinello (Ita), Diego Rosa (Ita), Emanuele Sella (Ita), Alessio Taliani (Ita), Gianfranco Zilioli (Ita).

ASTANA
Country: Kazakhstan. Status: WorldTour
Team: Fabio Aru (Ita), Enrico Gasparotto (Ita), Francesco Gavazzi (Ita), Andriy Grivko (Ukr), Tanel Kangert (Est), Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe), Michele Scarponi (Ita), Paolo Tiralongo (Ita).

Bardiani-CSF
Country: Italy. Status: Pro Continental
Team: Enrico Barbin (Ita), Enrico Battaglin (Ita), Francesco Bongiorno (Ita), Stefano Locatelli (Ita), Angelo Pagani (Ita), Stefano Pirazzi (Ita), Edoardo Zardini (Ita).

BELKIN
Country: Netherlands. Status: WorldTour
Team: Wilco Kelderman (Ned), Stef Clement (Ned), Martijn Keizer (Ned), Steven Kruijswijk (Ned), Bauke Mollema (Ned), Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor), David Tanner (Aus), Laurens ten Dam (Ned).

BMC RACING
Country: USA. Status: WorldTour
Team: Philippe Gilbert (Bel), Yannick Eijssen (Bel), Cadel Evans (Aus), Ben Hermans (Bel), Steve Morabito (Swi), Samuel Sanchez (Spa), Tejay van Garderen (USA), Larry Warbasse (USA).

CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA
Country: Spain. Status: Pro Continental
Team: Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa), David Arroyo (Spa), Karol Domagalski (Pol), Francesco Lasca (Ita), Angel Madrazo (Spa), Lluis Mas (Spa), Antonio Piedra (Spa), Amets Txurruka (Spa).

CANNONDALE
Country: Italy. Status: WorldTour
Team: Ivan Basso (Ita), Damiano Caruso (Ita), Alessandro De Marchi (Ita), Davide Formolo (Ita), Paolo Longo (Ita), Marco Marcato (Ita), Moreno Moser (Ita), Davide Villella (Ita).

COLOMBIA
Country: Colombia. Status: Pro Continental
Team: Robinson Chalapud (Col), Edward Diaz (Col), Fabio Duarte (Col), Jarlinson Pantano (Col), Carlos Quintero (Col), Miguel Angel Rubiano (Col), Rodolfo Torres (Col), Juan Pablo Valencia (Col).

EUROPCAR
Country: France. Status: WorldTour
Team: Cyril Gautier (Fra), Natnael Berhane (Eri), Jerome Cousin (Fra), Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra), Vincent Jerome (Fra), Christophe Kern (Fra), Maxime Mederel (Fra), Romain Sicard (Fra).

FDJ.fr
Country: France. Status: WorldTour
Team: Thibaut Pinot (Fra), Arnaud Courteille (Fra), Kenny Elissonde (Fra), Murilo Fischer (Bra), Alexandre Geniez (Fra), Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier (Fra), Jeremy Roy (Fra), Jussi Veikkanen (Fin).

GARMIN-SHARP
Country: USA. Status: WorldTour
Team: Ryder Hesjedal (Can), Janier Acevedo (Col), Andre Cardoso (Por), Nathan Haas (Aus), Dan Martin (Ire), Lachlan Morton (Aus), Tom-Jelte Slagter (Ned), Andrew Talansky (USA).

GIANT-SHIMANO
Country: Netherlands. Status: WorldTour
Team: Warren Barguil (Fra), Lawson Craddock (USA), Dries Devenyns (Bel), Tom Dumoulin (Ned), Simon Geschke (Ger), Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe), Daan Olivier (Ned), Georg Preidler (Aut).

KATUSHA
Country: Russia. Status: WorldTour
Team: Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa), Pavel Brutt (Rus), Giampaolo Caruso (Ita), Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus), Alberto Losada (Spa), Daniel Moreno (Spa), Egor Silin (Rus), Eduard Vorganov (Rus).

LAMPRE-MERIDA
Country: Italy. Status: WorldTour
Team: Rui Costa (Por), Matteo Bono (Ita), Valerio Conti (Ita), Kristijan Durasek (Cro), Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol), Nelson Oliveira (Por), Jan Polanc (Slo), Rafael Valls (Spa).

LOTTO BELISOL
Country: Belgium. Status: WorldTour
Team: Tony Gallopin (Fra), Bart de Clerq (Bel), Pim Ligthart (Ned), Maxime Monfort (Bel), Dennis Vanendert (Bel), Jelle Vanendert (Bel), Louis Vervaeke (Bel), Tim Wellens (Bel).

MOVISTAR
Country: Spain. Status: WorldTour
Team: Alejandro Valverde (Spa), Eros Capecchi (Ita), Jesus Herrada (Spa), Benat Intxausti (Spa), Ion Izagirre (Spa), Dayer Quintana (Col), Jasha Sutterlin (Ger), Giovanni Visconti (Ita).

OMEGA PHARMA - QUICK-STEP
Country: Belgium. Status: WorldTour
Team: Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol), Julian Alaphilippe (Fra), Gianluca Brambilla (Ita), Michal Golas (Pol), Wout Poels (Ned), Pieter Serry (Bel), Rigoberto Uran (Col), Carlos Verona (Spa).

ORICA-GREENEDGE
Country: Australia. Status: WorldTour
Team: Michael Albasini (Swi), Simon Clarke (Aus), Daryl Impey (RSA), Christian Meier (Can), Johan Esteban Chaves (Col), Pieter Weening (Ned), Adam Yates (GB), Simon Yates (GB).

TEAM SKY
Country: Britain. Status: WorldTour
Team: Dario Cataldo (Ita), Sebastian Henao (Col), Vasil Kiryienka (Blr), Christian Knees (Ger), David Lopez (Spa), Philip Deignan (Ire), Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr), Ben Swift (GB).

TINKOFF-SAXO
Country: Russia. Status: WorldTour
Team: Alberto Contador (Spa), Jesus Hernandez (Spa), Roman Kreuziger (Cze), Sergio Paulinho (Por), Pawel Poljanski (Pol), Chris Anker Sorensen (Den), Nicki Sorensen (Den), Oliver Zaugg (Swi).

TREK FACTORY RACING
Country: USA. Status: WorldTour
Team: Eugenio Alafaci (Ita), Julian Arredondo (Col), Laurent Didier (Lux), Fabio Felline (Ita), Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr), Frank Schleck (Lux), Calvin Watson (Aus), Riccardo Zoidl (Aut).