For the first time in half a decade, the season-ending Monument has a blank space where the favourite’s name should be. Il Lombardia 2026 rolls out on Saturday, October 10, and the five-time defending champion Tadej Pogačar will not be on the start line. The “Race of the Falling Leaves” is suddenly the most open it has been in years — and that changes the complexion of the entire day. Form heading into the finale has been unpredictable, with neo-pro Jarno Widar beating Pidcock and Jorgenson at Tre Valli Varesine.
The Final Monument of 2026 Is Wide Open
Il Lombardia is the last of cycling’s five Monuments and the final marquee one-day race of the road season. It rewards riders who can climb repeatedly and still have the nerve to attack on a technical descent into the finish. For five straight editions, that rider has been Pogačar, who turned the race into a personal procession. With him absent, a long list of climbers who have spent years racing for the minor placings finally have a clear path to glory.
The autumn campaign has been building toward this moment. Just days ago, the peloton tuned up at the Italian semi-classics — coverage of that build-up is in our report on the Giro dell’Emilia. Now the form lines converge on Lombardy for the biggest prize of the fall.
Why Tadej Pogačar Won’t Be There
Pogačar’s 2026 season came to an early, unplanned end after he crashed on Stage 8 of the Vuelta a España. The injuries he sustained ruled him out of the closing weeks of the year, including the World Championships, the European Championships and now Il Lombardia. His UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad confirmed there were “no plans” for him to race again in 2026.
It is a striking absence. Pogačar had won Il Lombardia in each of the previous five years, equalling the great Fausto Coppi’s record of consecutive titles. Removing the dominant one-day racer of his generation does not just open the door for someone else — it removes the tactical certainty that has shaped how every rival approached the race.
The Route: Bergamo to Como, Reversed
The 2026 edition flips the direction of last year’s course, starting in Bergamo and finishing in Como. It covers roughly 239 kilometres with around 4,600 metres of climbing packed across the day — a relentless profile that wears riders down long before the decisive moves.
The sting, as ever, is in the tail. A final categorised ascent sits just 5.2km from the line, cresting before a fast, technical descent into Como. That layout favours a rider who can either drop the field on the last climb or hold a small gap through the downhill run-in — exactly the kind of all-rounder profile that made this race Pogačar’s playground. Expect the winning move to come on or just after that last climb.
The Contenders to Watch
Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates-XRG): The American arrives as the newly crowned road world champion, having taken the rainbow jersey in Montréal in late September. A Monument in the stripes would cap a breakthrough season — we previewed his title ride in our 2026 World Championships preview.
Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe): A former world champion and relentless attacker who thrives on hard, hilly one-day races. Fresh off a strong continental campaign — see our write-up of his European Championships road race — he is the most obvious candidate to seize Pogačar’s throne.
Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team): A punchy, fearless descender who finished sixth here in 2025. On a course decided by a late climb and a technical drop into Como, his bike-handling could be a genuine weapon.
Bauke Mollema (Lidl-Trek): The 2019 champion has announced he will retire after this race. A rider who knows exactly how to win from a breakaway here, he is the sentimental pick — and a dangerous one if the favourites mark each other.
Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CMA CGM): The young French climber represents the next generation and will relish a race where the established order has been scrambled.
One notable non-starter: Mathieu van der Poel has opted against racing, having signalled the World Championships would close his season.
What This Means for You
You are not going to drop a pro peloton on the climb to Como, but Il Lombardia is a master-class in the skills that matter for every rider who likes hills. Two lessons translate straight to your own riding.
Second, the descent is where races are lost. The run into Como is decided by riders who stay relaxed and carry speed through corners rather than braking in panic. Practise descending on roads you know, look through the turn rather than at your front wheel, and make sure your contact points and setup suit you — even a detail like crank length can change how comfortable and efficient you feel when the road tilts up and down.
Key Takeaways
- When: Saturday, October 10, 2026 — the final Monument of the season.
- Route: Bergamo to Como, ~239km and ~4,600m of climbing, with a final climb 5.2km from the line.
- The big story: Five-time winner Tadej Pogačar is absent after a season-ending crash at the Vuelta.
- Favourites: World champion Brandon McNulty and Remco Evenepoel head a wide-open field, with Pidcock, Mollema and Seixas all in the mix.
- For your riding: Build repeatable climbing fitness and sharpen your descending — the two skills this race always rewards.
Il Lombardia 2026 is scheduled for Saturday, October 10. Details above reflect the latest confirmed information ahead of the race.
