Lombardy: Evenepoel in hospital, excluding serious damage. Fuglsang knocks everyone out and wins

The 114th Giro di Lombardia, organized by the Gazzetta dello Sport, started at 12.27 with 174 riders from 25 teams. Very strict safety and distance rules with riders and teams isolated from everything. Arrival expected at 6.30 pm on the Lungo Lario Trento in Como. Live Rai2 and Eurosport from 15.50.

Ore 18 – Fuglsang trionfa!

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Astana’s Dane Jakob Fuglsang won the Giro di Lombardia. With a powerful attack on the San Fermo he detached Bennet, second on arrival. Third Vaslov, then Mollema, Ciccone and Nibali.

17.54 – Powerful attack by Fuglsang on San Fermo

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The Dane from Astana has detached George Bennet and flies to victory. There are 5 km to go.

17.52 – Bramati, ds of Evenepoel: “Let’s calm everyone down”

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Deceuninck-QuickStep director Davide Bramati: “Remco Evenepoel is going to the hospital, but we want to reassure everyone. For now we can say that Remco only has a severe bruise on his right leg, but we are waiting for the exams ”.

5.50 pm – San Fermo begins

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Bennet starts dry on the last climb. Vlasov remains there, Fuglsang resists for now.

5.40 pm – After the Civiglio, three in front

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Fuglsang, Vlasov and Bennet at the head of the passage on the Civiglio. At 15 ”the Trek Mollema-Ciccone duo, Nibali now out of the game at 1’30”.

17.30 – Nibali sacrifices himself on the Civiglio, but extends Fuglsang

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First ramps of Civiglio: Nibali, not in top condition, marks the pace but then extends Fuglsang. With him Vlasov and Bennet, more detached Ciccone, Mollema and Nibali

17.25 – Six will play the race

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Van Der Poel, who had approached, is unable to get back on six in the lead. Three are from Trek-Segafredo (Nibali, Ciccone, Mollema), two from Astana (Fuglsang and Vaslov) and Bennet from Jumbo-Visma.

5.20 pm – Evenepoel gets into an ambulance

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The Belgian was recovered by rescuers and loaded into an ambulance. He will be transported to the hospital for examinations and investigations on possible fractures, but at the moment the sports director Davide Bramati and the team speak only of a strong bruise on his right leg.

5.15 pm – Evenepoel talks to the doctors

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The Belgian is lucid and talks to doctors. The problem is to recover the runner, who has flown off a parapet about ten meters below the roadway. The girlfriend of the Belgian phenomenon, who was watching the race, felt ill at the time of the crash but quickly recovered.

17.08 – In front there are 6 left

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In the meantime, six remained to lead the race: Vaslov and Fuglsang (Astana), Nibali, Ciccone and Mollema (Trek-Segafredo), Bennet (Team Jumbo-Visma). The first pursuer is Van Der Poel, 23 ”behind.

05.05 pm – Evenepoel is alert

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The first news of the Belgian, who is alert and was immediately rescued, was comforting.

5pm – Evenepoel’s bad fall

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The Belgian phenomenon, struggling with Nibali’s forcing, loses control of the downhill bike and falls into a grove after an impact with the railing on the side of the road.

16.50 – The ten best at the top of the Muro di Sormano

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The Russian champion Vaslov and Fuglsang (Astana) the most active on the Sormano Wall. In front also Bennet, Evenepoel and Nibali. Not far away Majka, and Ciccone, slightly detached Van Der Poel and Ulissi, which can return downhill.

4.40 pm The Astana attacks the Wall

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The terrifying wall of Sormano has begun (peaks at 26%), group of the best with 12 runners and Astana in the lead.

16.20 – Compact group on top of Ghisallo

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Remco Evanepoel has whipped the team. At the top of the Ghisallo there are about 40 runners left. Now down and then the Colma di Sormano with the terrible wall.

16.10 – The escape is canceled

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Under the pressure of the Deceuninck-QuickStep, all the attackers were caught up. The group is climbing the Ghisallo.

4 pm – The hot factor

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In the race at the moment more than 30 degrees are reported, even the heat will be an important factor in deciding the race.

15.50 – Group comeback

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Km 150, 10 km from the Ghisallo attack: group in great comeback on the 11 fugitives just 1 ‘. Running average just under 44 per hour.

15.30 – Fugitives at + 3’34 ”

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In Suello, 100 km from the finish, the fugitives have 3’34 ”. The ascent of the Madonna del Ghisallo is approaching, where since 1949 there is the church dedicated to the virgin protector of cyclists and for ten years the cycling museum wanted by Fiorenzo Magni. Ghisallo measures 8.6 km with an average gradient of 6.2% and will be the first real test for the big names. From the summit there are 64 km to go. Those who pass to the top will receive the Pierluigi Todisco award, dedicated to our colleague who died on a bike in 2011 while he was reaching the headquarters of the Gazzetta dello Sport. The first to receive it was Vincenzo Nibali in 2011.

3.15 pm – half of the race

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Colle Brianza, the cult-climb of Brianza: km 114, halfway through the race, the fugitives have 2’53 ”. The group is pulled by the wingmen of Bennett (jumbo-visma) and Evenepoel (deceuninck-quick step), and is recovering strongly

14.50 – At km 104, 4’10 ” advantage

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The advantage of the leading group at kilometer 104, after Cisano Bergamasco, is 4’10 ”. We leave the province of Bergamo and enter that of Lecco. Soon the climb to Colle Brianza.

Ore 14.25 – A 90 km + 4’25 ”

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90 kilometers from the start, the advantage of the treads over the rest of the group increased to 4’25 ”.

2.30 pm – Alzano Lombardo, + 3’30

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Passage to Alzano Lombardo to remember the victims of the coronavirus tragedy. At km 72, the advantage is 3’30 over the group.

13.47 – Group a + 3’27

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In Colle Gallo km 54: group +3: 27.

13.37 – The advantage increases

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The treads are approaching Colle Gallo. 3’40 of advantage after 51 km.

1.30 pm – Kilometer 50

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Gaverina Terme, km 50: the escape has started. The advantage of Vakoc, Gabburo, Savini, Rosskopf, Pasqualon, Morin (COF), Nekrasov, Piccoli, Stork (SUN), Riabushenko and Marco Frapporti (THR) over the group is + 2’40. Now we face the first ascent, the Gallo hill, the cycling gym of Val Seriana: 7.4 km at 6%, altitude difference 451 meters. After the descent we will touch the countries of the coronavirus: Albino, Nembro, Alzano Lombardo. The average after the first hour of running is 49.8 Km / h.

12.56 – Kilometer 25

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At kilometer 25 in Mornico al Serio, compact group, high speed, many escape attempts but without success.

12.27 – The departure

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The start was given by Norma Gimondi, daughter of the great champion who died on August 16 a year ago. A minute of silence for the coronavirus victims who have touched this province in a dramatic way and then a long applause from the fans far from the riders behind a double row of Norma Gimondi barriers: dad would have been proud of all this affection. But I couldn’t bear to see him taken away by an ambulance.

The starters

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Many champions are at the start, starting with the winner of the last edition, Bauke Mollema. Among the prominent names also the winner of the Giro d’Italia 2019 Richard Carapaz, Vincenzo Nibali (who won Il Lombardia in 2015 and 2017), the winner of the GranPiemonte George Bennett, Remco Evenepoel, Jakob Fuglsang, Mathieu van der Poel, Gianluca Brambilla, Giulio Ciccone, Michael Woods, Alberto Bettiol, Aleksandr Vlasov, Tim Wellens, Ivan Ramiro Sosa, Tao Geoghegan Hart, Gianni Moscon, Rafal Majka, Andrea Bagioli, Mikel Nieve, Wilco Kelderman, Fabio Aru, Valerio Conti and Diego Ulissi. Before departure from Bergamo, a minute of silence will be observed to remember the victims of the pandemic in the area of ​​Italy most affected by Covid.

Todisco Award

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The first to pass the Ghisallo will be awarded the prize in memory of Pier Luigi Todisco, journalist of the Gazzetta who died on 7 October 2011 while he was reaching the editorial office by bicycle.

I team

19 UCI WorldTeams, 1 entitled and 5 wild cards (25 teams of 7 riders each).

AG2R La Mondiale (FRA); Astana Pro Team (KAZ); Bahrain – Mclaren (BRN); Bora – Hansgrohe (GER); CCC Team (POL); Cofidis (FRA); Deceuninck – Quick-step (BEL); EF Pro Cycling (USA); Groupama – FDJ (FRA); Israel Start-up Nation (ISR); Lotto Soudal (BEL); Mitchelton – Scott (AUS); Movistar Team (SPA); NTT Pro Cycling Team (RSA); Team Ineos (GBR); Team Jumbo – Visma (OLA); Team Sunweb (GER); Trek – Segafredo (USA); UAE Team Emirates (UAE);

Entitled Circus – Wanty Gobert (BEL)

Wild card Alpecin – Fenix ​​(BEL); Androni Toys – Sidermec (ITA); Bardiani CSF Faizanè (ITA); Gazprom – Rusvelo (RUS); Wines Zabù KTM (ITA)