The riders roll out off Como to tackle the first climb shortly after Asso. It’s the renowned The Madonna del Ghisallo, but not taken from the usual side. This way it’s a gentle warm-up climb – 8.8 kilometres at 3.9%.
The riders decent towards Ballagio before the route continues for tens of kilometres on the shores of Lake Como and then Lake Garlate. The riders are almost in Bergamo when the route turns north in Almenno San Bartolomeo. Which is where the uphill action really kicks in.
The ascent to Roncola is 9.4 kilometres long and the average gradient sits at 6.6%. The first and last part are nothing special, but the heart of the climb rises at 8 to 10%. The riders are more than 100 kilometres underway when they reach the village.
The subsequent ascent comes with more friendly gradients. The climb to Berbenno is 6.8 kilometres long and averages 4.6%. It’s a gradual and steady slope.
Back in the valley the route follows the Brembo River upstream for 10 kilometres and just after moving through thermal town San Pellegrino the Passo della Crocetta throws in 11 kilometres at 6,2%. Following a short downhill the road goes up for 1.4 kilometres at 7.1%. A virtually flat section leads onto a 2.5 kilometres climb at 7% Zambla Alta.
The Zambla Alta summit is crested with almost 65 kilometres remaining. The first 25 fly downhill into the valley of the Serio River before the last big climb of the day appears. The Passo di Ganda adds 9.2 kilometres at 7.3% to the mix. The last 3.2 kilometres rise at almost 10%.
Another descent – 16 kilometres – takes the riders back into the Serio valley. It would be easy to continue straight towards the finish on the Viale Roma, but no, there is one last obstacle remaining. With 4,5 kilometres to go the riders tackle the Colle Aperto, a ramp of 1.6 kilometres at 7.9% with the last part on pebble paving
The last 3 kilometres fly down to the line on the Viale Roma in Bergamo.
The route is virtually a carbon copy of the 2021 edition of Il Lombardia. Back then, Tadej Pogacar attacked on the Passo di Ganda. Fausto Masnada rejoined the Slovene on descent before being outclassed on the line.
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Other interesting reads: results and start list Tour of Lombardy 2023.
Tour of Lombardy 2023: routes, profiles, more
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