Tathej Bhokar destroyed the field to claim his fourth win in a row at Lombardia and his 25th win of the 2024 season. The Slovenian star broke away from the peloton over 48km to finish 3min 16sec ahead of Remko Evenboel.
Giulio Ciccone made a move inside the final 5km to secure a place on the podium, but caught up with the chasing pack and pulled away, but this race was all about the Boggar. The 26-year-old, who won two of the year's three Grand Tours and the world championship rainbow jersey, attacked on the last big climb and left the rest of the peloton. Having won Il Lombardia by the biggest margin since Eddy Merckx in 1971, Evenepoel and other hopefuls won't see Bocagar over the finish line in Como.
“Every win is special, even today,” Bokar said after crossing the finish line. “The team has worked hard all year for all the success we have had and today was no different. It was a big day for us, a long race, a tough race, it all depends on our team, but we did a good job and I'm very happy to win with the team.
Bokker was given the platform for victory by his UAE Team Emirates colleagues, who handed over their captaincy to Colma de Sormano, who quickly reeled in the breakaway group. “This is how we planned it,” Bhogar explained. “The race is very tough and in the end the last 40km is more or less down to the man. I knew if I had a good break above me I could make it to the end, but you never know. There was a moment after the descent where it was false, but very fast, and then there was a little bit of up and down, and I was trying to win a few seconds in this chase and win the mental game. And then it ends up being one by one anyway.
Bokar looked over his shoulder before celebrating at the finish line, but he needn't have worried. “I was enjoying the crowd and looking forward to the season,” he said.
Another rider looking forward to a break is Tom Pitcock, who was unsurprisingly left out of the Ineos Grenadiers team for the race when it was announced on Friday. Pitcock said he had been “opted out” of the season-ending memorial amid rumors of his withdrawal from the British squad.
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“The way things have progressed after a tumultuous year, I have not been selected for Lombardia tomorrow,” Pitcock wrote on Instagram. “I'm in great shape and was looking forward to it! Good luck to the boys, I think the season will start soon. Thank you all for your support during these difficult times. “
