COMO, Italy – Dutch cyclist Bauke Mollema produced a solo ride to victory at the end of the Tour of Lombardy on Saturday to claim one of the most important wins of his career.
The Trek-Segafredo rider raised his arms over his head as he traveled the finishing straight of the 151-mile route from Bergamo to Como, and was in tears after crossing the line.
It was Mollema’s first victory in a Monument — cycling’s five hardest and most prestigious one-day races.
“This is my 11th Lombardia and I only once before finished in the top 10.”
Alejandro Valverde edged out Egan Bernal in a sprint for second. The pair were 16 seconds behind Mollema, who set off on his solo attack on the penultimate climb of the Civiglio, with just over 18 kilometers remaining.
“I wasn’t the favorite so maybe the other riders underestimated me a bit,” Mollema said. “I found the right moment to attack. I just went full gas in the last 10 kilometers. It’s unreal.”
The 32-year-old Mollema won a stage of the Tour de France in 2017.
Jumbo-Visma rider Primoz Roglic finished the race seventh to conclude a season in which he finished third at the Giro d’Italia and first at the Spanish Vuelta. He finished the season atop the UCI world rankings. He was supported in both of his World Tour rides by Durango’s Sepp Kuss, who also had a standout season that included a stage win at the Vuelta. Kuss finished Saturday’s Lombardy in 34th to conclude his season.
“As the saying goes: when two dogs fight over a bone, a third runs away with it”, Roglic said after Lombardy in a team news release. “The other guys mainly looked at me to chase, but Bauke was the best out there today and deserved the win. My compliments to the team as well. The team was very strong, but I didn’t expect anything else.
“This was my most successful season to date. Last week, I also showed that I am able to compete for the win in one-day races. But above all, I am most happy with the fact that I am finishing the season as number one in the world.”
The Durango Herald contributed to this report.
