Il Lombardia 2026 without Pogacar: Evenepoel, Seixas and world champion McNulty chase an open Monument

Il Lombardia, the last of cycling's five Monuments this season, takes place on Saturday, 10 October. Tadej Pogacar will not be on the start line. The Slovenian has won every edition since 2021, which equals Fausto Coppi's record of five in a row. He crashed out of the Vuelta a Espana on stage 8 and his injuries ended his 2026 season.

That means the 120th edition will have a new winner for the first time since 2020. It also makes the race unusually open. In recent years most riders have been racing for second place behind Pogacar.

A reversed route ending in Como

This year's race starts in Bergamo and finishes in Como, the opposite way round from 2025. It covers 239km with about 4,600 metres of climbing. The early climbs are Selvino, Colle di Berbenno and Valpiana. Later the riders go over the Giovezana, which is 3.6km at more than 9%. The famous Madonna del Ghisallo comes with 60km left.

The finale will probably decide the race. Riders climb San Fermo della Battaglia, then the Civiglio, which is 4.2km at nearly 10% and tops out 16km from the finish. They then go back up San Fermo, cresting about 5km from the line, before descending into Como. Riders who can climb well and go downhill fast should have the advantage.

Who can win?

Remco Evenepoel is the biggest name in the field. The Belgian finished second behind Pogacar in both 2024 and 2025. He arrives after winning a fourth straight world time trial title and the European Championships. Some observers think he has been less convincing on long mountain days lately, but this route suits him.

Brandon McNulty will race in the rainbow jersey. The American surprised everyone by winning the world road race title in Montreal last month, ending a 33-year wait for a US men's champion. France's Paul Seixas is another contender. He was well placed at the Worlds until cramp cost him a medal.

Tom Pidcock, sixth here last year, is expected to start. So are Giulio Ciccone, Matteo Jorgenson, Isaac del Toro and Davide Piganzoli, who won the Giro dell'Emilia. Bauke Mollema, the 2019 champion, rides his final race before retirement. Mathieu van der Poel, third at the Worlds, has already ended his road season and will not take part.

How to follow it from Malaysia

The race is expected to start around 10am UK time and finish around 3pm. In Malaysia, that means a start at about 5pm and a finish at about 10pm on Saturday. That should give local fans a full evening of racing, with the decisive climbs coming on Saturday night.

There is still no women's edition of Il Lombardia. Reports say organisers are planning one for 2027.

Key takeaways

• Tadej Pogacar, winner of the last five editions, misses Il Lombardia after crashing out of the Vuelta.
• The 2026 route runs 239km from Bergamo to Como with around 4,600m of climbing, and the Civiglio and San Fermo come in the last 16km.
• Remco Evenepoel, second in 2024 and 2025, leads the contenders along with Paul Seixas, Tom Pidcock and world champion Brandon McNulty.
• The race should finish around 10pm Malaysia time on Saturday, 10 October.

FAQ

Why is Tadej Pogacar not racing Il Lombardia 2026? He crashed out of the Vuelta a Espana on stage 8, and his injuries ended his season. He has not raced since.

Who won Il Lombardia in 2025? Pogacar won it for the fifth straight time with a solo attack from 36km out. That matched Fausto Coppi's record.

What time does Il Lombardia finish in Malaysia? The finish is expected around 3pm UK time, which is about 10pm in Malaysia on Saturday, 10 October.

Sources: TNT Sports, Cycling Upto Date, Cycling Weekly, Reuters