Here’s the full story of the riders protest at the start of the day. Many also shared the same message on social media as the protest was being made including leader of the CPA Adam Hansen.
A message from the riders:
As riders, we stand united against the unnecessary risk our lives are being subjected to.
This week alone, there were multiple incidents of vehicles on race courses. Two riders crashed when they hit a motorbike who was driving the wrong way on the race route. Luckily both escaped with cuts and bruises, it could have been so much worse.
This summer, a life was tragically lost to exactly this kind of failure. We will not stand for this any longer.
Riders race at high speed with little protection, and we depend on the race organisers to secure the roads. That responsibility is not being met.
We are calling for the help of the UCI for race organisers to take accountability and act. That means a serious, open conversation between riders, race organisers and the UCI resulting in concrete changes to how race routes are secured and managed.
After five minutes, we raced as normal. We did not want to affect the race, only to show what riders can do when we stand as one.
We love this sport. We respect the race organisers. We want to race hard and put on a show for our fans. However most importantly we want to come home safe to our loved ones.October 10, 2026
SELVINO
Things had quietened down for a short while, but the attacking has recommenced now that they have started the Selvino climb. Multiple riders have used its lower slopes to try and go clear, but are being chased down by UAE.
Covi has been caught, but his Jayco teammate Michael Matthews has immediately counter-attacked. That’s a surprising move, as the Australian’s stock in trade is staying in the peloton and surviving hills to sprint from reduced sprints at the finish – as he did at the World two weeks ago, to win the silver medal.
That ride proves he’s in great shape, but is this the best way to race for him to stand a chance of another high finish today? Perhaps not, and the Australian did not fully commit to the move, and has been caught by the peloton.
The attacks keep coming, and Alessandro Covi leads the race having managed to build a gap. He’s fifteen seconds up the road, but plenty of riders are showing an eagerness to join him.
After a subdued first few kilometres in which only Marcellusi attacked, the race has now exploded into life. Multiple men have made moves, among them Visma’s Bruno Armirail, who was so strong at the World Championships a fortnight ago. They’ve not been allowed to go clear, and the peloton is all back together.
OFFICIAL START
And they’re off! Bardiani’s Martin Marcellusi is the first man to attack, and he has a lead of ten seconds as no rider made an immediate response to follow him
The riders have only recently set off from the unofficial start, which was delayed as the peloton staged a protest. Remco Evenepoel explained via microphone to the crowd that they were protesting about recent failures of organisers to protect their safety, in a series of incidents that have been especially shocking since the death of Finlay Tarling.
“We want to make the statement to show to the whole world that we cannot keep accepting the act that guys keep getting injured or literally dying”
On behalf of the peloton, Evenepoel said that his message to the organisers of this and future races was: !please make sure that we can race safely, and that we can just do what we like to do without being worried about cars and motorbikes…coming onto the course”
(Image credit: Getty Images)
One rider who didn’t take part in the Guard of Honour was Primož Roglič. There have been rumours that the Slovenian might be on the brink of retirement, and he himself did not rule out. But his absence from the Guard suggests that he has not made a definitive decision to do so.
There are five retirees in total going through the guard of honour – Pello Bilbao, Ion Izagirre, Rudy Molard, Odd Christian Eiking and Bauke Mollema. All have enjoyed storied careers, and will hope to end their careers in style today.
Today will be the final day in the career of many big name riders, and the peloton have formed a guard of honour at the start to see them off.
It might poetically be known as Race of the Falling Leaves for its autumnal setting, but the conditions today early on are reflecting the grey, grimmer side to this time of year. There are clouds hanging over the peloton as they wait at the start, and a pressing threat of rain, even if things remain dry for not.
No race in the cycling calendar has been dominated by a single man in recent years as Il Lombardia has been by Tadej Pogačar. The Slovenian has won a record-breaking five editions in succession, each year with increasing supremacy.
Now, however, that run will come to an end. The defending champion is out injured, and in his absence we are set for a wide-open race.
Hello and welcome to the 2026 edition of Il Lombardia!
