It was October 18, 2003 and Michele Bartoli won his second Tour of Lombardy. That year, the route ran from Como to Bergamo, just like next Saturday. The distance was 249 kilometers back then, this time it will be 238, but the characteristics of that route were very similar to the one that's about to arrive, especially in the initial section and the final stretch with the Bergamo Alta climb.
Today, Bartoli is an established trainer and helps us delve into the secrets of the next Giro di Lombardia route, including performance-related details.
Finals compared
From Como Bergamo, we were saying: 239 kilometers, 4.400 meters of altitude difference. The route goes from one branch of Lake Como to the other. It climbs the Ghisallo Pass at the start, then stays close to the Alta Brianza and heads east, passing the hills of: Roncola, Berbenno, Passo della Crocetta Dossena, Zambla Alta, Passo di Ganda (Selvino area) and finally Bergamo Alta, before gliding over the city in the plain.
Last year's Como finale was more challenging, with two climbs close to the finish. On the other hand, and this is the theory of Julius Ciccone (which unfortunately we won't see at the start), arriving in Bergamo you have to face longer and more regular climbs.
«The Lombardy route – says Bartoli – is always selective. I believe that the same people who could have won in Como will win.And I say this not only because of the characteristics of the course, but because the athletes who can win are all fast. pogacar, Roglic…they are the number one favorites."
«Longer climbs, says Ciccone: this analysis is fine, it's true, but things don't change. The Lombardy remains the same. There's the Ghisallo, the Selvino, the Roncola. Perhaps when I won, the Berbenno was closer to the finish line, and the fact that it's not there might remove a difficulty. But as I repeat, it doesn't change much. The last real difference will be made in Bergamo Alta and after 240 kilometers it will hurt."
The tactics
The route of the next Lombardy, with longer and more regular climbs, will impact not only the athletes' performance but also the tactical flow of the race. A race that, in theory, could be easier to control.
«On a track like this – continues Bartoli – teams are able to organize themselves better. It's a little easier for them to control the race than when there's the Sormano or more climbs in the finale. Then you have to consider that we're at the end of the season: forces are limited and it's not a given that someone can't spring a surprise or that an attack cannot progress further and be more effective than expected. It happens rarely, but it happens."
Energy levels are low, then, but it begs the question of whether, in today's cycling world where every aspect is carefully calibrated, we're still running on limited energy. Here too, Bartoli makes some important points.
"It's true that in general we get there better," explains the Tuscan, "but this still holds true. Some more than others, everyone is dealing with their last resources. The body is tired, and for me… whoever manages this approach best can make the differenceWhoever manages to hold on to something extra. And if the same players always win at this stage, it's also because they're better at managing their energy.
At this stage of the season, performance is no longer the only thing, but rather the reaction to an action. And it's no coincidence that training schedules vary. It's important to communicate well with yourself. Today, 3 hours of bad work are enough to make you lose energy.».
Detailed preparation
The ride will last approximately six hours. A significant selection is expected on the Ganda Pass and then a decisive burst of momentum towards Bergamo Alta. A blaze that could decide the winner or who will compete in the last Monument of the year in the sprint.
So if the energies are limited, if Bergamo Alta will be decisive and it is a short burst that does not exceed 3 minutes of effortHow do you get there to be at your best at that precise moment? Do you have a targeted approach? Does preparing for the Como finale with Civiglio and San Fermo in succession involve any differences?
"It's clear that adjustments need to be made," Bartoli explains, "but let's start from the assumption that teams need to let those who still have energy run. And that's already having an impact. You customize something, but there is no substantial difference in preparation as for a Flanders or a Liège, where you need to train on very similar routes and reproduce similar efforts and stimuli. You don't make an extra sprint because the finish in Bergamo is, on paper, easier than the one in Como. When I say adjustments I mean, as I said before, the management of the approach.
«For example, for those who ran in Emilia this week, recovery is important, but also do Vo2 Max boosters. You can't go too many days without training, especially at the end of the season when a tired body tends to slow down and to lose certain stimuli more easily. So we will do a little less quantity, but more quality."
