Route
The route has changed many times over the years, although the signature symbol of the race has remained the Como lake and the Ghisallo climb that starts near Bellagio and arrives at the church of Madonna del Ghisallo, the patron of cyclists. Milan, Monza, Como and Bergamo have all been traditional arrival cities of the race through the years. Since 2004, the arrival has returned to the lake front in Como with the short, but tough San Fermo della Battaglia climb a few kilometers from the end. The 2010 edition saw the introduction of the Colma di Sormano climb which replaced the Cviglio climb after the Ghisallo climb. The Sormano climb was also introduced in the fully renewed route for the 2011 edition. The climb was installed before the Madonna del Ghisallo. After the Ghisallo climb a flat road took the race towards Lecco for the final climb of the race: the 3,4 km climb of Villa Vergano. After the descend only 3 km remained until the finish. The steep road of the Villa Vergano climb proved to be decisive in the 2011 and 2012 edition of the race.
| Years | Start | Finish |
|---|---|---|
| 1905–1960 | Milano | Milano |
| 1961–1984 | Milano | Como |
| 1984–1989 | Como | Milano (Duomo) |
| 1990–1994 | Milano | Monza |
| 1995–2001 | Varese | Bergamo |
| 2002 | Cantu | Bergamo |
| Years | Start | Finish |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Como | Bergamo |
| 2004–2006 | Mendrisio (SUI) | Como |
| 2007–2009 | Varese | Como |
| 2010 | Milano | Como |
| 2011 | Milano | Lecco |
| 2012 | Bergamo | Lecco |
The Giro di Lombardia is known as a climbers' classic and has included several well-known climbs over the years. The most famous of them is the Madonna del Ghisallo climb. An overview of climbs featured in Il Lomardia:
| Climb | Distance | Average Grade | Max Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civiglio | 5,7 km | 6,9% | 10% |
| Colle Brianza | 4,2 km | 6,9% | 7,5% |
| Colma di Sormano | 9,6 km | 6,5% | 8,4% |
| Madonna del Ghisallo | 10,6 km | 5,2% | 11% |
| Climb | Distance | Average Grade | Max Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muro di Sormano | 2 km | 15,2% | 27% |
| San Fermo della Battaglia | 2,2 km | 8,2% | 8,3% |
| Valcava | 11,8 km | 8% | 12% |
| Villa Vergano | 3,2 km | 7,4% | 15% |
Read more about this topic: Giro Di Lombardia
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