The Giro di Lombardia is one of the five Monuments of professional cycling. Known as Il Lombardia in Italy, it’s one of the most prestigious one-day races in Italy.
Held annually in the Lombardy region of Italy, the Giro di Lombardia is usually held in the first week of October. It has been nicknamed the Race of the Falling Leaves by many cycling fans. It’s the last of the five Monuments, after Milan-San Remo, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
The Giro di Lombardia started in 1905, making it one of the oldest cycling races. It was originally called the Milan-Milan because it started and ended in Milan. In 1907, it was renamed to Giro di Lombardia.
Giro di Lombardia route
The total distance is usually between 240 and 260km (140 to 162 mi) long, depending on the organizers.
The Giro di Lombardia route undergoes the most changes yearly compared to the other Monuments. The shortest distance was 184km (114 mi) in 1942 and 266km (165 mi) in 1973.
The original route was from Milan to Milan, but the finish was moved to Como in 1961. The revised route around Lake Como has significantly more climbs than Milan’s flat finish.
The Giro di Lombardia is known for its hilly course but with a flat finish in Como. This suits an excellent climber who can sprint. Between 1961 to 2022, the finish line has been moved many times;
- 1905 to 1960 – Milan
- 1961 to 1983 – Como
- 1984 to 1989 – Milan
- 1989 to 1994 – Monza
- 1995 to 2003 – Bergamo
- 2004 to 2011 – Como
- 2011 to 2013 – Lecco
- 2014 – Bergamo
- 2015 – Como
- 2016 – Bergamo
- 2017 to 2022 – Como
Five to six climbs in the route make the race interesting and often prove to be decisive in determining the winner.
The Madonna del Ghisallo is the most famous at 8.3km (5.2 mi) long and averaging a 5.2% gradient. This climb has been a constant fixture in the race. Other climbs are used in the race, but they don’t feature every year due to the route changes.
| Climb | Distance | Average gradient | Max. gradient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madonna del Ghisallo | 8.3km | 5.3% | 11% |
| Civiglio | 5.7km | 6.9% | 10% |
| Colle Brianza | 4.2km | 6.9% | 7.5% |
| Colma di Sormano | 9.6km | 6.5% | 8.4% |
| Colle del Gallo | 6km | 6.8% | 10.4% |
| Muro di Sormano | 1.7km | 16% | 27% |
| San Fermo della Battaglia | 2.2km | 8.2% | 8.3% |
| Valcava | 11.8km | 8% | 12% |
| Villa Vergano | 3.2km | 7.4% | 15% |
Past Giro di Lombardia winners
Fausto Coppi holds the record with the most Giro di Lombardia wins with five (1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1954), and Alfredo Binda with four (1925, 1926, 1927, 1931).
Double Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar won the race in 2021 and 2022.
| Year | Winner | Winning time |
|---|---|---|
| 1905 | Giovanni Gerbi | 9hr 13′ 52″ |
| 1906 | Cesare Brambilla | 7hr 28′ 39″ |
| 1907 | Gustave Garrigou | 7hr 53′ 41″ |
| 1908 | François Faber | 7hr 18′ 36″ |
| 1909 | Giovanni Cuniolo | 6hr 13′ 21″ |
| 1910 | Giovanni Micheletto | 8hr 35′ 32″ |
| 1911 | Henri Pélissier | 7hr 34′ 30″ |
| 1912 | Carlo Oriani | 7hr 30′ 30″ |
| 1913 | Henri Pélissier | 7hr 43′ 48″ |
| 1914 | Lauro Bordin | 7hr 16′ 40″ |
| 1915 | Gaetano Belloni | 6hr 42′ 24″ |
| 1916 | Leopoldo Torricelli | 8hr 41′ 35″ |
| 1917 | Philippe Thys | 6hr 58′ 2″ |
| 1918 | Gaetano Belloni | 7hr 8′ |
| 1919 | Costante Girardengo | 9hr 42′ 1″ |
| 1920 | Henri Pélissier | 8hr 23′ |
| 1921 | Costante Girardengo | 9hr 30′ 30″ |
| 1922 | Costante Girardengo | 9hr 1′ |
| 1923 | Giovanni Brunero | 9hr 27′ 35″ |
| 1924 | Giovanni Brunero | 8hr 38′ 23″ |
| 1925 | Alfredo Binda | 8hr 43′ 40″ |
| 1926 | Alfredo Binda | 9hr 52′ 32″ |
| 1927 | Alfredo Binda | 8hr 57′ 27″ |
| 1928 | Gaetano Belloni | 8hr 59′ |
| 1929 | Pietro Fossati | 8hr 13′ 10″ |
| 1930 | Michele Mara | 7hr 40′ |
| 1931 | Alfredo Binda | 8hr 29′ |
| 1932 | Antonio Negrini | 8hr 40′ 1″ |
| 1933 | Domenico Piemontesi | 7hr 2′ 44″ |
| 1934 | Learco Guerra | 7hr 34′ |
| 1935 | Enrico Mollo | 7hr 22′ 16″ |
| 1936 | Gino Bartali | 6hr 46′ |
| 1937 | Aldo Bini | 7hr 34′ 5″ |
| 1938 | Cino Cinelli | 6hr 38′ |
| 1939 | Gino Bartali | 6hr 51′ 5″ |
| 1940 | Gino Bartali | 6hr 32′ 57″ |
| 1941 | Mario Ricci | 6hr 26′ 41″ |
| 1942 | Aldo Bini | 5hr 6′ 3″ |
| 1945 | Mario Ricci | 6hr 8′ 11″ |
| 1946 | Fausto Coppi | 6hr 25′ |
| 1947 | Fausto Coppi | 6hr 15′ |
| 1948 | Fausto Coppi | 5hr 51′ 58″ |
| 1949 | Fausto Coppi | 5hr 50′ 30″ |
| 1950 | Renzo Soldani | 5hr 49′ 40″ |
| 1951 | Louison Bobet | 5hr 51′ 3″ |
| 1952 | Giuseppe Minardi | 6hr 3′ 36″ |
| 1953 | Bruno Landi | 6hr 1′ 50″ |
| 1954 | Fausto Coppi | 5hr 51′ 33″ |
| 1955 | Cleto Maule | 5hr 44′ 27″ |
| 1956 | Andre Darrigade | 6hr 14′ 20″ |
| 1957 | Diego Ronchini | 6hr 9′ 45″ |
| 1958 | Nino Defilippis | 6hr 7′ 12″ |
| 1959 | Rik van Looy | 5hr 25′ 5″ |
| 1960 | Emile Daems | 5hr 33′ 46″ |
| 1961 | Vito Taccone | 7hr 6′ 21″ |
| 1962 | Jo de Roo | 7hr 5′ 58″ |
| 1963 | Jo de Roo | 7hr 5′ 30″ |
| 1964 | Gianni Motta | 6hr 54′ |
| 1965 | Tom Simpson | 6hr 47′ |
| 1966 | Felice Gimondi | 6hr 57′ |
| 1967 | Franco Bitossi | 6hr 54′ 50″ |
| 1968 | Herman van Springel | 6hr 58′ 58″ |
| 1969 | Jean-Pierre Monséré | 6hr 38′ 54″ |
| 1970 | Franco Bitossi | 6hr 57′ 22″ |
| 1971 | Eddy Merckx | 6hr 45′ 46″ |
| 1972 | Eddy Merckx | 6hr 47′ 54″ |
| 1973 | Felice Gimondi | 7hr 7′ 42″ |
| 1974 | Roger de Vlaeminck | 7hr 7′ 54″ |
| 1975 | Francesco Moser | 7hr 25′ |
| 1976 | Roger de Vlaeminck | 6hr 26′ |
| 1977 | Giambattista Baronchelli | 7hr 3′ |
| 1978 | Francesco Moser | 6hr 48′ 0″ |
| 1979 | Bernard Hinault | 6hr 13′ 25″ |
| 1980 | Fons de Wolf | 7hr 8′ 0″ |
| 1981 | Hennie Kuiper | 6hr 32′ 0″ |
| 1982 | Giuseppe Saronni | 6hr 5′ 7″ |
| 1983 | Sean Kelly | 6hr 27′ 36″ |
| 1984 | Bernard Hinault | 6hr 8′ 50″ |
| 1985 | Sean Kelly | 6hr 11′ 17″ |
| 1986 | Giambattista Baronchelli | 7hr 7′ 7″ |
| 1987 | Moreno Argentin | 6hr 52′ 10″ |
| 1988 | Charly Mottet | 6hr 49′ 5″ |
| 1989 | Tony Rominger | 6hr 46′ 35″ |
| 1990 | Gilles Delion | 6hr 11′ 45″ |
| 1991 | Sean Kelly | 6hr 10′ 38″ |
| 1992 | Tony Rominger | 6hr 7′ 50″ |
| 1993 | Pascal Richard | 6hr 4′ 38″ |
| 1994 | Vladislav Bobrik | 6hr 3′ 21″ |
| 1995 | Gianni Faresin | 5hr 49′ 2″ |
| 1996 | Andrea Tafi | 5hr 51′ 46″ |
| 1997 | Laurent Jalabert | 5hr 48′ 44″ |
| 1998 | Oscar Camenzind | 5hr 59′ 1″ |
| 1999 | Mirko Celestino | 6hr 21′ 50″ |
| 2000 | Raimondas Rumsas | 6hr 18′ 36″ |
| 2001 | Danilo Di Luca | 6hr 38′ 29″ |
| 2002 | Michele Bartoli | 6hr 14′ 49″ |
| 2003 | Michele Bartoli | 6hr 29′ 41″ |
| 2004 | Damiano Cunego | 6hr 17′ 55″ |
| 2005 | Paolo Bettini | 5hr 56′ 22″ |
| 2006 | Paolo Bettini | 6hr 8″ 6″ |
| 2007 | Damiano Cunego | 5hr 52′ 48″ |
| 2008 | Damiano Cunego | 5hr 37′ 4″ |
| 2009 | Philippe Gilbert | 5hr 43′ 45″ |
| 2010 | Philippe Gilbert | 6hr 46′ 32″ |
| 2011 | Oliver Zaugg | 6hr 20′ 2″ |
| 2012 | Joaquim Rodriguez | 6hr 36′ 27″ |
| 2013 | Joaquim Rodriguez | 6hr 10′ 18″ |
| 2014 | Daniel Martin | 6hr 25′ 3″ |
| 2015 | Vincenzo Nibali | 6hr 16′ 28″ |
| 2016 | Esteban Chaves | 6hr 26′ 36″ |
| 2017 | Vincenzo Nibali | 6hr 15′ 29″ |
| 2018 | Thibaut Pinot | 5hr 53′ 22″ |
| 2019 | Bauke Mollema | 5hr 52′ 59″ |
| 2020 | Jakob Fuglsang | 5hr 32′ 54″ |
| 2021 | Tadej Pogacar | 6hr 1′ 39″ |
| 2022 | Tadej Pogacar | 6hr 21′ 22″ |
| 2023 | Tadej Pogacar | 5hr 55′ 33″ |
Biggest winning margin of Giro di Lombardia
Giovanni Gerbi won by 40′ 11′ over Giovanni Rossignoli in the first edition in 1905. Since 2000, the biggest winning margin was only 32″ with Thibaut Pinot winning over Vincenzo Nibali.
The table below shows the 10 biggest winning margins at the Giro di Lombardia.
| Year | Winner | Time | Margin | Second place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1905 | Giovanni Gerbi | 9hr 13′ 52″ | 40′ 11″ | Giovanni Rossignoli |
| 1907 | Gustave Garrigou | 7hr 53′ 41″ | 12′ 23″ | Ernesto Azzini |
| 1908 | François Faber | 7hr 18′ 36″ | 14′ 57″ | Luigi Ganna |
| 1919 | Costante Girardengo | 9hr 42′ 1″ | 8′ | Gaetano Belloni |
| 1923 | Giovanni Brunero | 9hr 27′ 35″ | 18′ 37″ | Pietro Linari |
| 1925 | Alfredo Binda | 8hr 43′ 40″ | 8′ 20″ | Battista Giuntelli |
| 1926 | Alfredo Binda | 9hr 52′ 32″ | 29′ 40″ | Antonio Negrini |
| 1931 | Alfredo Binda | 8hr 29′ | 18′ 33″ | Michele Mara |
| 1945 | Mario Ricci | 6hr 8′ 11″ | 6′ 23″ | Aldo Bini |
| 1947 | Fausto Coppi | 6hr 15′ | 5′ 24″ | Gino Bartali |
Fastest Giro di Lombardia average speed
The fastest Giro di Lombardia was in 1995 when Gianni Faresin won with an average speed of 43.32km/h (26.92mph).
| Year | Winner | Winning time | Distance (km) | Avg speed (km/h) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Gianni Faresin | 5hr 49′ 2″ | 252 | 43.32 |
| 2008 | Damiano Cunego | 5hr 37′ 4″ | 242 | 43.08 |
| 1997 | Laurent Jalabert | 5hr 48′ 44″ | 250 | 43.01 |
| 1996 | Andrea Tafi | 5hr 51′ 46″ | 250 | 42.64 |
| 1998 | Oscar Camenzind | 5hr 59′ 1″ | 253 | 42.22 |
| 2020 | Jakob Fuglsang | 5hr 32′ 54″ | 231 | 41.634 |
| 2009 | Philippe Gilbert | 5hr 43′ 45″ | 238 | 41.452 |
| 2005 | Paolo Bettini | 5hr 56′ 22″ | 246 | 41.42 |
| 2019 | Bauke Mollema | 5hr 52′ 59″ | 243 | 41.305 |
| 1985 | Sean Kelly | 6hr 11′ 17″ | 255 | 41.21 |
Slowest Giro di Lombardia average speed
The slowest Giro di Lombardia was in 1905, when Giovanni Gerbi won with an average speed of 25km/h (15.5mph).
| Year | Winner | Time | Distance (km) | Avg. speed (km/h) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1905 | Giovanni Gerbi | 9hr 13′ 52″ | 230 | 25 |
| 1926 | Alfredo Binda | 9hr 52′ 32″ | 251 | 25.42 |
| 1919 | Costante Girardengo | 9hr 42′ 1″ | 256 | 26.39 |
| 1906 | Cesare Brambilla | 7hr 28′ 39″ | 197 | 26.4 |
| 1923 | Giovanni Brunero | 9hr 27′ 35″ | 250 | 26.47 |
| 1907 | Gustave Garrigou | 7hr 53′ 41″ | 210 | 26.6 |
| 1918 | Gaetano Belloni | 7hr 8′ | 190 | 26.636 |
| 1916 | Leopoldo Torricelli | 8hr 41′ 35″ | 232 | 26.69 |
| 1910 | Giovanni Micheletto | 8hr 35′ 32″ | 232 | 27 |
| 1922 | Costante Girardengo | 9hr 1′ | 245 | 27.28 |
Alex Lee is the founder and editor-at-large of Mr. Mamil. Coming from a professional engineering background, he breaks down technical cycling nuances into an easy-to-understand and digestible format here.
He has been riding road bikes actively for the past 12 years and started racing competitively in the senior category during the summer recently.