George Bennett has produced a fantastic display in the final monument classic of the 2018 season to take 10th place in Il Lombardia. The Kiwi finished behind race winner Thibaut Pinot who attacked to take a solo win ahead of Vincenzo Nibali and Dylan Teuns.
241km in length, the 112th edition of Il Lombardia was 6km shorter than usual, but set to be no less aggressive in terms of racing, with the final climb of the day – up Monte Olimpino – peaking with just 3km of racing remaining. Six rated climbs featured en route to the finish, with the highest point arriving after 193.5km up the Colma Di Sormano.
To date Il Lombardia remains the only monument classic that George Bennett has undertaken, having not ridden Milan-San Remo, Paris-Roubaix, the Tour of Flanders or Liege-Bastogne-Liege to date. Il Lombardia is easily most suited to the Kiwi climber, but until this year his best performance had been 35th in the 2015 edition and since then he hadn’t taken to the start.
In this year’s race, however, not only did he start, but his LottoNL-Jumbo team played a commanding role in the race; further emphasising their rise to prominence in the last couple of years amongst the World Tour peloton. The team drove the race around the lower slopes of the Colma Di Sormano. It was from here that the team launched what would be the decisive move of the day as Primoz Roglic attacked in the company of Thibaut Pinot of Groupama-FDJ, Vincenzo Nibali of Bahrain Merida and later Egan Bernal of Team Sky.
While Roglic would fade, the race would eventually be decided by Nibali and Pinot, with the two duking it out until Pinot attacked; dropping the Italian and riding away to the win.
Nibali crossed the line 32 seconds later in second place, with Dylan Teuns winning the small group sprint for third place ahead of Rigoberto Uran of EF Education First-Drapac and Tim Wellens of Lotto Soudal.
George Bennett crossed the line solo in tenth place, 9 seconds ahead of Alejandro Valverde of Movistar; resplendent in his world champion’s kit.
Afterwards Bennett said, “As a team we have done a good race, we took the initiative and set up the decisive move with Primoz. I am proud of how we have raced as a team today.”

Results:
Rank | Last Name | First Name | Country | Team | Result |
1 | PINOT | Thibaut | FRA | GROUPAMA – FDJ | 5:53:22 |
2 | NIBALI | Vincenzo | ITA | BAHRAIN – MERIDA | 5:53:54 |
3 | TEUNS | Dylan | BEL | BMC RACING TEAM | 5:54:05 |
4 | URAN | Rigoberto | COL | TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE | 5:54:05 |
5 | WELLENS | Tim | BEL | LOTTO SOUDAL | 5:54:05 |
6 | IZAGIRRE INSAUSTI | Ion | ESP | BAHRAIN – MERIDA | 5:54:05 |
7 | MAJKA | Rafal | POL | BORA – HANSGROHE | 5:54:05 |
8 | POZZOVIVO | Domenico | ITA | BAHRAIN – MERIDA | 5:54:05 |
9 | MARTIN | Daniel | IRL | UAE TEAM EMIRATES | 5:54:10 |
10 | BENNETT | George | NZL | TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO | 5:54:44 |
11 | VALVERDE | Alejandro | ESP | MOVISTAR TEAM | 5:54:53 |
12 | BERNAL GOMEZ | Egan Arley | COL | TEAM SKY | 5:54:53 |
13 | WOODS | Michael | CAN | TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE | 5:54:53 |
14 | REICHENBACH | Sébastien | SUI | GROUPAMA – FDJ | 5:54:53 |
15 | NIEVE ITURRALDE | Mikel | ESP | MITCHELTON – SCOTT | 5:54:53 |
16 | CATALDO | Dario | ITA | ASTANA PRO TEAM | 5:55:19 |
17 | ROGLIČ | Primož | SLO | TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO | 5:56:26 |
18 | KONRAD | Patrick | AUT | BORA – HANSGROHE | 5:56:55 |
19 | CATTANEO | Mattia | ITA | ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI – SIDERMEC | 5:56:55 |
20 | FUGLSANG | Jakob | DEN | ASTANA PRO TEAM | 5:56:55 |
21 | CHERNETSKI | Sergei | RUS | ASTANA PRO TEAM | 5:56:55 |
22 | BUCHMANN | Emanuel | GER | BORA – HANSGROHE | 5:56:55 |
23 | FORMOLO | Davide | ITA | BORA – HANSGROHE | 5:56:55 |
24 | SERRY | Pieter | BEL | QUICK – STEP FLOORS | 5:57:16 |
25 | BENOOT | Tiesj | BEL | LOTTO SOUDAL | 5:57:16 |
26 | BARGUIL | Warren | FRA | TEAM FORTUNEO – SAMSIC | 5:57:16 |
27 | OOMEN | Sam | NED | TEAM SUNWEB | 5:57:16 |
28 | TOLHOEK | Antwan | NED | TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO | 5:57:21 |
29 | YATES | Adam | GBR | MITCHELTON – SCOTT | 5:57:23 |
30 | PELLIZOTTI | Franco | ITA | BAHRAIN – MERIDA | 5:57:26 |
31 | PONZI | Simone | ITA | NIPPO – VINI FANTINI – EUROPA OVINI | 5:58:17 |
32 | FRANK | Mathias | SUI | AG2R LA MONDIALE | 5:58:19 |
33 | DE MARCHI | Alessandro | ITA | BMC RACING TEAM | 5:58:19 |
34 | VILLELLA | Davide | ITA | ASTANA PRO TEAM | 5:59:24 |
35 | VELASCO | Simone | ITA | WILIER TRIESTINA – SELLE ITALIA | 6:00:02 |
36 | HERMANS | Ben | BEL | ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY | 6:00:02 |
37 | CONCI | Nicola | ITA | TREK – SEGAFREDO | 6:00:24 |
38 | COSTA | Rui | POR | UAE TEAM EMIRATES | 6:00:24 |
39 | CAPECCHI | Eros | ITA | QUICK – STEP FLOORS | 6:00:24 |
40 | KOCHETKOV | Pavel | RUS | TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN | 6:00:24 |
41 | CICCONE | Giulio | ITA | BARDIANI CSF | 6:00:24 |
42 | OLIVEIRA | Nelson | POR | MOVISTAR TEAM | 6:00:24 |
43 | KREUZIGER | Roman | CZE | MITCHELTON – SCOTT | 6:00:24 |
44 | SKUJINS | Toms | LAT | TREK – SEGAFREDO | 6:00:24 |
45 | GESINK | Robert | NED | TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO | 6:00:24 |
46 | CARBONI | Giovanni | ITA | BARDIANI CSF | 6:00:24 |
47 | HINDLEY | Jai | AUS | TEAM SUNWEB | 6:00:24 |
48 | KELDERMAN | Wilco | NED | TEAM SUNWEB | 6:00:24 |
49 | MARTINEZ POVEDA | Daniel Felipe | COL | TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE | 6:00:29 |
50 | SANTAROMITA | Ivan | ITA | NIPPO – VINI FANTINI – EUROPA OVINI | 6:00:29 |
51 | MAS NICOLAU | Enric | ESP | QUICK – STEP FLOORS | 6:00:29 |
52 | HENAO MONTOYA | Sergio Luis | COL | TEAM SKY | 6:00:29 |
53 | DIAZ GALLEGO | Jose Manuel | ESP | ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY | 6:01:32 |
54 | ARU | Fabio | ITA | UAE TEAM EMIRATES | 6:02:02 |
55 | SENNI | Manuel | ITA | BARDIANI CSF | 6:02:02 |
56 | MOHORIC | Matej | SLO | BAHRAIN – MERIDA | 6:02:19 |
57 | WACKERMANN | Luca | ITA | BARDIANI CSF | 6:03:13 |
58 | SCHÖNBERGER | Sebastian | AUT | WILIER TRIESTINA – SELLE ITALIA | 6:03:58 |
59 | GOGL | Michael | AUT | TREK – SEGAFREDO | 6:03:58 |
60 | ŠPILAK | Simon | SLO | TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN | 6:03:58 |
61 | DELAPLACE | Anthony | FRA | TEAM FORTUNEO – SAMSIC | 6:03:58 |
62 | PEDRERO | Antonio | ESP | MOVISTAR TEAM | 6:04:01 |
63 | DE LA CRUZ MELGAREJO | David | ESP | TEAM SKY | 6:04:01 |
64 | MOLLEMA | Bauke | NED | TREK – SEGAFREDO | 6:04:01 |
65 | DE TIER | Floris | BEL | TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO | 6:05:50 |
66 | KEUKELEIRE | Jens | BEL | LOTTO SOUDAL | 6:05:50 |
67 | MAISON | Jérémy | FRA | TEAM FORTUNEO – SAMSIC | 6:05:50 |
68 | HAMILTON | Christopher | AUS | TEAM SUNWEB | 6:05:50 |
69 | LAMBRECHT | Bjorg | BEL | LOTTO SOUDAL | 6:05:50 |
70 | KUDUS | Merhawi | ERI | TEAM DIMENSION DATA | 6:05:50 |
71 | HIRT | Jan | CZE | ASTANA PRO TEAM | 6:05:50 |
72 | CARUSO | Damiano | ITA | BMC RACING TEAM | 6:05:50 |
73 | CLARKE | Simon | AUS | TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE | 6:05:50 |
74 | STORER | Michael | AUS | TEAM SUNWEB | 6:07:49 |
75 | MONTAGUTI | Matteo | ITA | AG2R LA MONDIALE | 6:08:23 |
76 | CHEREL | Mikael | FRA | AG2R LA MONDIALE | 6:08:23 |
77 | ZARDINI | Edoardo | ITA | WILIER TRIESTINA – SELLE ITALIA | 6:08:23 |
78 | POWER | Rob | AUS | MITCHELTON – SCOTT | 6:08:23 |
79 | GAUDU | David | FRA | GROUPAMA – FDJ | 6:08:27 |
80 | SOLER | Marc | ESP | MOVISTAR TEAM | 6:10:24 |
81 | IZAGUIRRE INSAUSTI | Gorka | ESP | BAHRAIN – MERIDA | 6:10:24 |
82 | VERONA | Carlos | ESP | MITCHELTON – SCOTT | 6:10:24 |
83 | OLIVIER | Daan | NED | TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO | 6:10:24 |
84 | TONELLI | Alessandro | ITA | BARDIANI CSF | 6:10:24 |
85 | CUMMINGS | Stephen | GBR | TEAM DIMENSION DATA | 6:10:24 |
86 | ROSA | Diego | ITA | TEAM SKY | 6:10:24 |
87 | HENAO GOMEZ | Sebastian | COL | TEAM SKY | 6:10:24 |
88 | BOUWMAN | Koen | NED | TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO | 6:12:43 |
89 | LAMMERTINK | Maurits | NED | TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN | 6:16:58 |
90 | SMIT | Willem Jakobus | RSA | TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN | 6:16:58 |
91 | BOU COMPANY | Joan | ESP | NIPPO – VINI FANTINI – EUROPA OVINI | 6:16:58 |
92 | TIZZA | Marco | ITA | NIPPO – VINI FANTINI – EUROPA OVINI | 6:16:58 |
93 | KOSHEVOY | Ilia | BLR | WILIER TRIESTINA – SELLE ITALIA | 6:16:58 |
94 | NIV | Guy | ISR | ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY | 6:18:18 |
95 | BONNAMOUR | Franck | FRA | TEAM FORTUNEO – SAMSIC | 6:18:30 |
96 | SPREAFICO | Matteo | ITA | ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI – SIDERMEC | 6:18:32 |
97 | FLOREZ LOPEZ | Miguel Eduardo | COL | WILIER TRIESTINA – SELLE ITALIA | 6:18:32 |
98 | PLAZA | Ruben | ESP | ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY | 6:18:32 |
NIBALI | Antonio | ITA | BAHRAIN – MERIDA | DNF | |
BARDET | Romain | FRA | AG2R LA MONDIALE | DNF | |
PETERS | Nans | FRA | AG2R LA MONDIALE | DNF | |
BIDARD | François | FRA | AG2R LA MONDIALE | DNF | |
GASTAUER | Ben | LUX | AG2R LA MONDIALE | DNF | |
BALLERINI | Davide | ITA | ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI – SIDERMEC | DNF | |
FRAPPORTI | Marco | ITA | ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI – SIDERMEC | DNF | |
GAVAZZI | Francesco | ITA | ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI – SIDERMEC | DNF | |
FRAPPORTI | Mattia | ITA | ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI – SIDERMEC | DNF | |
SOSA CUERVO | Ivan Ramiro | COL | ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI – SIDERMEC | DNF | |
STALNOV | Nikita | KAZ | ASTANA PRO TEAM | DNF | |
ZEITS | Andrey | KAZ | ASTANA PRO TEAM | DNF | |
ORSINI | Umberto | ITA | BARDIANI CSF | DNF | |
ROTA | Lorenzo | ITA | BARDIANI CSF | DNF | |
BETTIOL | Alberto | ITA | BMC RACING TEAM | DNF | |
VLIEGEN | Loïc | BEL | BMC RACING TEAM | DNF | |
GERRANS | Simon | AUS | BMC RACING TEAM | DNF | |
ROSSKOPF | Joseph | USA | BMC RACING TEAM | DNF | |
BENEDETTI | Cesare | ITA | BORA – HANSGROHE | DNF | |
PFINGSTEN | Christoph | GER | BORA – HANSGROHE | DNF | |
POLJANSKI | Pawel | POL | BORA – HANSGROHE | DNF | |
BONNET | William | FRA | GROUPAMA – FDJ | DNF | |
LADAGNOUS | Matthieu | FRA | GROUPAMA – FDJ | DNF | |
ROY | Jérémy | FRA | GROUPAMA – FDJ | DNF | |
VINCENT | Léo | FRA | GROUPAMA – FDJ | DNF | |
ANDEMESKEL | Awet | ERI | ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY | DNF | |
NEILANDS | Krists | LAT | ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY | DNF | |
GOLDSHTEIN | Omer | ISR | ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY | DNF | |
DE GENDT | Thomas | BEL | LOTTO SOUDAL | DNF | |
MONFORT | Maxime | BEL | LOTTO SOUDAL | DNF | |
SHAW | James | GBR | LOTTO SOUDAL | DNF | |
ALBASINI | Michael | SUI | MITCHELTON – SCOTT | DNF | |
HAIG | Jack | AUS | MITCHELTON – SCOTT | DNF | |
CARRETERO | Hector | ESP | MOVISTAR TEAM | DNF | |
CASTRILLO ZAPATER | Jaime | ESP | MOVISTAR TEAM | DNF | |
ROJAS | José | ESP | MOVISTAR TEAM | DNF | |
LOBATO DEL VALLE | Juan Jose | ESP | NIPPO – VINI FANTINI – EUROPA OVINI | DNF | |
BAGIOLI | Nicola | ITA | NIPPO – VINI FANTINI – EUROPA OVINI | DNF | |
ZACCANTI | Filippo | ITA | NIPPO – VINI FANTINI – EUROPA OVINI | DNF | |
JUNGELS | Bob | LUX | QUICK – STEP FLOORS | DNF | |
ASGREEN | Kasper | DEN | QUICK – STEP FLOORS | DNF | |
DE PLUS | Laurens | BEL | QUICK – STEP FLOORS | DNF | |
SENECHAL | Florian | FRA | QUICK – STEP FLOORS | DNF | |
MORTON | Lachlan | AUS | TEAM DIMENSION DATA | DNF | |
O’CONNOR | Ben | AUS | TEAM DIMENSION DATA | DNF | |
PAUWELS | Serge | BEL | TEAM DIMENSION DATA | DNF | |
VAN ZYL | Johann | RSA | TEAM DIMENSION DATA | DNF | |
VERMOTE | Julien | BEL | TEAM DIMENSION DATA | DNF | |
BRESCHEL | Matti | DEN | TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE | DNF | |
DOMBROWSKI | Joseph Lloyd | USA | TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE | DNF | |
MODOLO | Sacha | ITA | TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE | DNF | |
FEILLU | Brice | FRA | TEAM FORTUNEO – SAMSIC | DNF | |
GESBERT | Elie | FRA | TEAM FORTUNEO – SAMSIC | DNF | |
LE ROUX | Romain | FRA | TEAM FORTUNEO – SAMSIC | DNF | |
ZAKARIN | Ilnur | RUS | TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN | DNF | |
KIŠERLOVSKI | Robert | CRO | TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN | DNF | |
RESTREPO VALENCIA | Jhonatan | COL | TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN | DNF | |
GOLAS | Michal | POL | TEAM SKY | DNF | |
MOSCON | Gianni | ITA | TEAM SKY | DNF | |
KÄMNA | Lennard | GER | TEAM SUNWEB | DNF | |
MATTHEWS | Michael | AUS | TEAM SUNWEB | DNF | |
DIDIER | Laurent | LUX | TREK – SEGAFREDO | DNF | |
EG | Niklas | DEN | TREK – SEGAFREDO | DNF | |
STETINA | Peter | USA | TREK – SEGAFREDO | DNF | |
MARCATO | Marco | ITA | UAE TEAM EMIRATES | DNF | |
MORI | Manuele | ITA | UAE TEAM EMIRATES | DNF | |
RAVASI | Edward | ITA | UAE TEAM EMIRATES | DNF | |
SUTHERLAND | Rory | AUS | UAE TEAM EMIRATES | DNF | |
BUSATO | Matteo | ITA | WILIER TRIESTINA – SELLE ITALIA | DNF | |
RAGGIO | Luca | ITA | WILIER TRIESTINA – SELLE ITALIA | DNF |