The organisers of the Tour of Lombardy are sticking to their tried-and-tested formula. In 2026, the season’s final Monument will once again feature a challenging route leading from Bergamo to Como, offering numerous opportunities for attacks in the final kilometres. The route focuses primarily on a series of climbs rather than a single key mountain and is likely to produce another selective race.
Things get tough very soon after the start in Bergamo. Over the Colle dei Pasta, the climb to Selvino, the Colle di Berbenno and Valpiana, the riders rack up a fair bit of elevation gain early on. The route then takes them through the Brianza region and over the Giovenzana side of the Colle Brianza, before heading down to Lecco and on to Lake Como.
The Ghisallo: the first major test
As is so often the case, the legendary Madonna del Ghisallo is one of the race’s highlights. This historic climb is tackled from the Bellagio side and features gradients of up to 14 per cent. This is immediately followed by a fast descent towards Como. However, the race is unlikely to be decided here just yet. Rather, the Ghisallo serves as the first real test of endurance, which is likely to further thin out the field and prepare the riders’ legs for the decisive final stage.
The finale: Civiglio and San Fermo as executioners
On reaching Como, the riders must complete a final circuit of around 22 kilometres. The focus there is on the traditional climbs of Civiglio and San Fermo della Battaglia. After a first passage through San Fermo, the route continues with the steep climb to Civiglio, where the gradient is around ten per cent over long stretches. The route then heads back to Como and up to San Fermo della Battaglia for a second time.
The final climb has an average gradient of around seven per cent, with sections reaching up to ten per cent. The summit is reached about five kilometres before the finish. After that, the route takes the riders down a fast descent back to Como, where the race will be decided in the final metres. In total, the riders must cover 239 kilometres and climb around 4,800 metres.
What sort of rider does this route suit?
The route of the 2026 Tour of Lombardy is clearly tailored to classic specialists who are strong on the climbs and explosive all-rounders. Whilst the numerous climbs are long and demanding, they do not reach the scale of high-Alpine mountain stages. Instead, the race calls for repeated exertion, a quick ability to recover, and the capacity to sustain repeated bursts of intense pace on short to medium-length ascents.
Pure sprinters and powerful classics riders are likely to reach their limits on this course, as are riders who excel primarily on long Alpine passes. What is particularly in demand, however, are riders who, after more than 200 kilometres, can still launch explosive attacks on gradients of double-digit percentages whilst also possessing sufficient descending skills to defend their lead right to the finish line.
The combination of Ghisallo, Civiglio and the final climb to San Fermo della Battaglia therefore promises yet another race that is likely to be decided less by team tactics and more by individual talent. Anyone hoping to win the 2026 Tour of Lombardy will not only need strong climbing legs, but also the ability to accelerate several times in the final stages and to ride aggressively over the decisive kilometres.
2026 Tour of Lombardy: live on TV and via streaming
- Date: Saturday, 10 October 2026
- Start: 11.00 am
- Estimated time of arrival: approx. 4.40 pm
- TV: Eurosport
- Live stream: Max / Discovery programmes
Anyone wishing to watch the 2026 Tour of Lombardy live can tune in to Eurosport in Germany, as usual, to follow the season’s final Monument. The broadcast on Eurosport(1) begins at 10.35 am and ends at 5.15 pm. The race will also be shown on the streaming platforms HBO Max and Discovery. The race starts on Saturday, 10 October, at 11.00 am, with the finish in Como expected at around 4.40 pm.
Lukas Niebuhr
Editor