Tour of Lombardy 2016: Chaves outsprints Uran and Rosa to take his first Monument

The Tour of Lombardy is the toughest in years. At the penultimate climb, the Selvino, Chaves, Uran, Bardet and Rosa attack in the front group. At the steep climb into the old town of Bergamo Bardet is dropped, while Chaves is fastest on the line. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results Tour of Lombardy

1. Esteban Chaves (col)
2. Diego Rosa (ita) s.t.
3. Rigoberto Uran (col) s.t.
4. Romain Bardet (fra) + 0.06
5. Davide Villela (ita) + 1.19
6. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 1.24
7. Robert Gesink (nld) s.t.
8. Warren Barguil (fra) s.t.
9. Alessandro De Marchi (ita) s.t.
10. Pierre Latour (fra) s.t.

Race report
It’s only at the Madonna del Ghisallo, 65 kms into the race, that the break of the day takes shape. Mikaël Chérel, Damiano Caruso, Stefan Denifl and Rudy Molard race to a lead at almost 8 minutes.

While climbing the Valico di Valcava Molard and Caruso leave their fellow-escapees behind. By then, the gap is down to 3 minutes, yet, the two race to a lead at over 4 minutes. Bakelants and Hardy open the chase and in doing so they pick up Chérel.

At the Sant’Antonio Abbandonato Caruso leaves Molard alone, while Bakelants et al are reeled in by the peloton. Mamykin attacks and is is accompanied by Gesink, Rosa, De la Cruz, Villella, Barguil and Latour. In the descent several prominent riders hook up.

With 45 kms remaining all Caruso’s efforts prove invain when he is caught and the new leaders go by the names of Aru, Rosa, Bardet, Latour, Torres, De Marchi, Uran, Villella, Molard, Brambilla, De la Cruz, Visconti, Valverde, Dumoulin (Tom), Chaves, Barguil and Gesink. At the flanks of the Miragolo San Salvatore Molard and De la Cruz have to let go.

At the Selvino Chaves attacks and he is accompanied by Uran and Bardet. Rosa closes the gap. When cresting the chasers are 40 seconds down on the leaders. One in the valley the gap widens to 1 minute.

The race boils down to the last climb into the old town of Bergamo. Bardet is dropped and Chaves and Uran are the first to drop to the finish line, yet Rosa hooks up. The Italian tries to jump clear, but Uran closes the gap. Chaves outsprints the other two on the line.