On October 10, 2026, Il Lombardia, the final Monument Classic of the professional road cycling season, will officially get underway.
As one of the key events on the UCI WorldTour calendar, Il Lombardia is widely known as the “Race of the Falling Leaves.” It is also the final Monument Classic of the season and has a history spanning more than a century. The race is renowned for its succession of challenging climbs, steep mountain roads, and the distinctive autumn scenery of Lombardy. In 2026, the event will celebrate its 120th edition, giving the race particular significance for both the riders and the organizers.
According to the official event information, the 2026 edition of Il Lombardia will take place on Saturday, October 10, with the race starting in Bergamo and finishing in Como. The route will once again take the peloton through the mountainous roads of the Lombardy region.
At present, however, the complete 2026 route has not yet been officially announced. The organizers have confirmed that the full route, host locations, race details, and related activities will be unveiled on September 24. Therefore, the final race distance, exact combination of climbs, and decisive sections of the course cannot yet be confirmed.
The “Race of the Falling Leaves” Returns for the Final Monument Battle of the Season
Il Lombardia has long been regarded as one of the most demanding Monuments for climbers.
Unlike Milan-San Remo, the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Il Lombardia is defined by its succession of climbs and the demanding mountain terrain that dominates the second half of the race.
The outcome is rarely determined by a conventional flat sprint. As the race progresses, riders must cope with the cumulative fatigue of repeated climbs while also managing technical descents, corners, positioning, and tactical changes during the final stages.
As a result, riders capable of competing for victory in Il Lombardia generally need a combination of climbing ability, endurance, and the capacity to launch decisive attacks at the right moment.
RCS Sport describes Il Lombardia as the final major Classic of the season, bringing together many of the world's leading climbers for one last major battle of the year.
Pogačar Targets a Sixth Consecutive Victory
If there is one storyline that will dominate the build-up to the 2026 edition, it is whether Tadej Pogačar can continue his remarkable reign at Il Lombardia.
In 2025, Pogačar won Il Lombardia for the fifth consecutive time, extending his unprecedented dominance of the race.
In the 2025 edition, Pogačar represented UAE Team Emirates-XRG and completed the 241-kilometer race in 5 hours, 45 minutes and 53 seconds. He finished 1 minute and 48 seconds ahead of Remco Evenepoel, while Michael Storer took third place.
The victory gave Pogačar a record fifth consecutive Il Lombardia title.
Pogačar has dominated the race since 2021, and his fifth victory in 2025 further strengthened his unique place in the history of the event.
The biggest question for 2026 is therefore whether Pogačar can complete a historic sixth consecutive victory at the 120th edition of Il Lombardia.
If he succeeds, he will further extend the record he created and take the history of the “Race of the Falling Leaves” into another chapter.
Can Evenepoel Challenge Pogačar Again?
Beyond Pogačar, Remco Evenepoel will undoubtedly be one of the riders attracting the most attention.
Over the past several seasons, Evenepoel has repeatedly faced Pogačar at the highest level of professional cycling, including major Classics and Grand Tours. In the 2025 edition of Il Lombardia, the Belgian again finished second behind Pogačar.
During the 2025 race, Pogačar attacked on a decisive climb, with Evenepoel among the few riders capable of remaining within striking distance. Evenepoel ultimately secured second place.
If both riders return to Il Lombardia in 2026, their rivalry will once again be one of the central storylines of the race.
However, Il Lombardia has never been simply a battle between two riders.
Other world-class climbers, Classics specialists, and riders supported by strong teams could all influence the outcome through tactical attacks and changes in the race situation.
Other Contenders Worth Watching
In addition to Pogačar and Evenepoel, several other top-level riders will be worth watching at the 2026 edition of Il Lombardia.
Current publicly available race and start-list information includes riders such as Tadej Pogačar, Matteo Jorgenson, Paul Seixas, Giulio Pellizzari, Jarno Widar, Jan Christen, and Bauke Mollema.
Among them, Mollema brings considerable experience at Il Lombardia and won the race in 2019. Meanwhile, a new generation of riders could bring different tactical approaches to the race.
However, some teams have yet to finalize their line-ups, meaning the publicly available lists should not necessarily be regarded as the definitive starting field until the official start list is confirmed.
From Bergamo to Como
The 2026 edition of Il Lombardia will follow a Bergamo-to-Como route.
The direction of the race is also significant.
The 2025 edition followed the opposite direction, from Como to Bergamo, over a distance of 241 kilometers. In 2026, the race will return to a Bergamo-to-Como format, creating a different rhythm and tactical environment for the riders.
For the peloton, a change in race direction means that the order of the climbs, the positioning of descents, and the tactical possibilities during the final part of the race will all be different.
However, because the complete 2026 route will not be officially unveiled until September 24, it is not yet possible to determine which climbs will ultimately become the decisive points of the race.
Climbing, Endurance and Tactics Will Shape the Race
One of the defining characteristics of Il Lombardia is the way it tests a rider's overall ability.
First comes climbing ability.
As the race enters its second half, the repeated climbs progressively drain the riders' energy. When the decisive phase begins, those who can maintain high power output and accelerate on the key climbs are likely to have a greater opportunity to establish an advantage.
Endurance is equally important.
As a major Classic covering more than 200 kilometers, Il Lombardia demands that riders maintain a high level of performance over a long distance. Even if no decisive move is made during the first half of the race, riders must preserve enough energy for the final tens of kilometers.
Team tactics will also play a major role.
In a race of this nature, it is difficult for a rider to control the entire event through individual strength alone. Strong teammates can control breakaways during the early stages, position their leader before key climbs, and help conserve energy before the decisive phase.
Once the race enters its final stages, the number of riders remaining in each team, their physical condition, and tactical decisions can all have a major influence on the final result.
The 120th Il Lombardia: Who Will Reach the Top Step in Como?
The 2026 edition of Il Lombardia is more than another end-of-season Classic. It will mark the 120th edition of one of cycling's most historic races.
For Pogačar, it represents another opportunity to extend his record. For Evenepoel and the other leading contenders, it offers another chance to challenge Pogačar's long-standing dominance and claim one of the final major Classic victories of the season.
Once the official route is unveiled on September 24, the climbing profile, race distance, and potential decisive sections will become much clearer.
One thing is already certain: the Bergamo-to-Como battle on October 10 will bring together many of the world's finest road cyclists for one final major showdown on the autumn roads of Lombardy.
As leaves fall across the mountain roads of northern Italy, one of cycling's oldest and most prestigious races will prepare to write another chapter in its long history.
On October 10, 2026, the 120th edition of Il Lombardia — the “Race of the Falling Leaves” — will deliver the final Monument battle of the season.
