FROM COMO TO BERGAMO: IL LOMBARDIA 2014 New 254km route will see over 3,000 metres of climbing

25 teams of 8 riders each announced Bergamo, 3 September 2014 – Details of the 108th Il Lombardia were announced this morning, with the race running over a completely revised, 254km route between Como and Bergamo. The UCI WorldTour road cycling race, held on the 5th of October and organised by RCS Sport/La Gazzetta dello Sport, will also take in over 3,000m of climbing. 25 teams of 8 riders have also been announced for the ‘dead leaves race’. THE ROUTE Starting in Como, the autumn classic will take in the villages of Cantù, Erba, Asso and Onno before hitting Bellagio at 58km and the start of the Madonna del Ghisallo (754m), a beautiful and challenging 10.6km climb with gradients over 14 per cent. The race will then continue through Asso, Pusiano, Oggiono, Galbiate and the first feeding zone at Pescate before the Alta Brianza and Meratese areas and into the Bergamo province in Calusco d’Adda. After a first passage through the city of Bergamo, the race will begin a loop back with a series of testing climbs that will decide the final winner. Riders will then face the Colle dei Pasta (413m), Colle Gallo (763m) and, after the second feeding zone in Cene, the Passo di Ganda (1060m), which featured in the 18th stage of Giro 2011. After a fast descent through Selvino and Rigosa towards the bottom of the valley, the road will climb back towards Bracca (600m) and take in the technical descent towards Zogno and Brembilla. Riders will then begin the classic climb of Berbenno (695m), just 26km from the finish. A fast descent towards Almenno San Salvatore takes the riders through Almè and back to Bergamo to face the final kilometres through the old Città Alta to the finish on the Sentierone.

FINAL KILOMETRES The route to the finish line climbs towards Bergamo Alta, entering at Porta Garibaldi, up the Boccola ascent and its 200m of cobblestones towards Largo Colle Aperto, a climb that doesn’t drop below 10%, and includes peaks of 12%. The final descent is wide with a flat surface. The final two kilometres takes in three technical turns, a 90 degree bend at 1800m with the road narrowing under Porta Sant’Agostino, a left turn at 1000m and at 250m from the line, driving towards the grand finale. THE TEAMS 25 teams, 18 UCI ProTeams and 7 wildcards will start, each with 8 riders: AG2R LA MONDIALE (FRA) ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI - VENEZUELA (ITA) ASTANA PRO TEAM (KAZ) BARDIANI CSF (ITA) BELKIN-PRO CYCLING TEAM (NED) BMC RACING TEAM (USA) CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA (ESP) CANNONDALE (ITA) COLOMBIA (COL) FDJ.fr (FRA) GARMIN SHARP (USA) IAM CYCLING (SUI) LAMPRE-MERIDA (ITA) LOTTO BELISOL (BEL) MOVISTAR TEAM (ESP) NERI SOTTOLI (ITA) OMEGA PHARMA - QUICK-STEP CYCLING TEAM (BEL) ORICA GreenEDGE (AUS) TEAM EUROPCAR (FRA) TEAM GIANT-SHIMANO (NED) TEAM KATUSHA (RUS) TEAM NETAPP - ENDURA (GER) TEAM SKY (GBR) TINKOFF-SAXO (RUS) TREK FACTORY RACING (USA)

RECENT WINNERS – LAST 10 EDITIONS 2004 – Damiano Cunego (ITA) 2005 – Paolo Bettini (ITA) 2006 – Paolo Bettini (ITA) 2007 – Damiano Cunego (ITA) 2008 – Damiano Cunego (ITA) 2009 – Philippe Gilbert (BEL) 2010 – Philippe Gilbert (BEL) 2011 – Oliver Zaugg (SUI) 2012 – Joaquim Rodriguez (ESP) 2013 – Joaquim Rodriguez (ESP) COMMENTS: Stefano Allocchio, Sport Area Direction RCS Sport: RCS Sport and La Gazzetta dello Sport are very pleased about the collaboration with the local committee. With 3800 metres of total climbing we are sure this is going to be a very tough edition of Il Lombardia. The Ghisallo climb, which will be faced in the first part of this race, remains as the symbol of the race. The course is different from 2003, there’s a new climb: Passo di Ganda which featured in the 2013 Giro d’Italia, and was a favourite with the fans, who will have time to watch this and then reach the action at the finish line in Bergamo if they want. It's the same finish line that will see the protagonists will welcome 250 young kids racing for the Trofeo L’Eco di Bergamo on the same day, in a unique scene celebrating a great day of sport. Felice Gimondi, Winner of Lombardia 1966 and 1973, will be wearing World Champion jersey on this occasion: Il Lombardia is a very technical race and this year's course just confirms it. It’s hard but not impossible, I expect a small group with the best riders of the day in the final part. After going through the local valleys, the grand finale with Città Alta and Boccola climb will show the beauty of Bergamo to the whole world.

Info:

SHIFT Active Media Manolo Bertocchi Press Office RCS Sport Tel: (+44) 01225 448333 Cel: (+44) 7979 241227 E-mail: manolo@shiftactivemedia.com Tw.: @Shiftactive - @ItalianManolo

RCS Sport Stefano Diciatteo Press Office Coordinator RCS Sport Tel: (+39) 02 25848758 Cel: (+39) 335 5468466 E-mail: Stefano.diciatteo@rcs.it Tw.: @rcssport - @stedicia