12 Oct 2019
Bernal claims Lombardia podium
Related riders
Egan Bernal
Il Lombardia, 243km
Egan Bernal capped off an incredible season with third place at Il Lombardia.
The Colombian claimed his first podium finish in a Monument Classic after sprinting from a select group into Como.
Edged out by Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), a group of elite contenders found themselves racing for second place after Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) made good his escape on the run-in, taking a 16-second solo victory.
Bernal showed good legs in the finale, and was joined in the lead group by Ivan Sosa following the brutal slopes of the Muro di Sormano.
Sosa finished well in 14th after a strong day out, with Gianni Moscon coming home only slightly further back in 19th as part of a chasing group.
Team INEOS picked up the tempo on the famed slopes of the Madonna del Ghisallo climb. After stints on the front from Salvatore Puccio and Tao Geoghegan Hart, the action cranked up a notch on the Muro di Sormano.
Sosa was alert to the moves and crested the climb at the head of the race, with Bernal able to sit in behind until the action regrouped prior to the Civiglio, where Mollema went clear.
Edged out by Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), a group of elite contenders found themselves racing for second place after Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) made good his escape on the run-in, taking a 16-second solo victory.
Bernal showed good legs in the finale, and was joined in the lead group by Ivan Sosa following the brutal slopes of the Muro di Sormano.
Sosa finished well in 14th after a strong day out, with Gianni Moscon coming home only slightly further back in 19th as part of a chasing group.
Team INEOS picked up the tempo on the famed slopes of the Madonna del Ghisallo climb. After stints on the front from Salvatore Puccio and Tao Geoghegan Hart, the action cranked up a notch on the Muro di Sormano.
Sosa was alert to the moves and crested the climb at the head of the race, with Bernal able to sit in behind until the action regrouped prior to the Civiglio, where Mollema went clear.
Egan Bernal
I think that the most important thing is that I’m on the podium and to finish the season with a strong result.
Sosa followed the moves well on the Muro di Sormano
Reaction
- Egan Bernal
"This morning I was hoping to do my best, but to be on the podium in Lombardia is something really big for me – my first time in a Monument. I’m really happy for this and my performance.
"[Mollema] was really strong. When he went on the climb he did a big gap, and then behind we were also going really hard. Yates was pulling, then Roglic attacked and he still had this [time] difference. In the final he was the strongest.
"I think that the most important thing is that I’m on the podium and to finish the season with a strong result. I would like [to win a Monument] but it’s difficult for me to stay at the front in these kind of races. I really like them and I will try to improve a bit more. I’m still 22 years old."
- Egan Bernal
"This morning I was hoping to do my best, but to be on the podium in Lombardia is something really big for me – my first time in a Monument. I’m really happy for this and my performance.
"[Mollema] was really strong. When he went on the climb he did a big gap, and then behind we were also going really hard. Yates was pulling, then Roglic attacked and he still had this [time] difference. In the final he was the strongest.
"I think that the most important thing is that I’m on the podium and to finish the season with a strong result. I would like [to win a Monument] but it’s difficult for me to stay at the front in these kind of races. I really like them and I will try to improve a bit more. I’m still 22 years old."
Final result:
1. Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) 5:52:59
2. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) +16"
3. Egan Bernal (Team INEOS) s.t.
4. Jakob Fuglsang (Astana)
5. Michael Woods (EF Education First) +34"
14. Ivan Sosa (Team INEOS) +50"
1. Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) 5:52:59
2. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) +16"
3. Egan Bernal (Team INEOS) s.t.
4. Jakob Fuglsang (Astana)
5. Michael Woods (EF Education First) +34"
14. Ivan Sosa (Team INEOS) +50"
