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.”

Thibaut Pinot claimed the win in Il Lombardia, eventually launching the winning move to drop Vincenzo Nibali, photo Sirotti

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

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