Il Lombardia 2022 – Who is riding? When is it on TV? Tadej Pogacar favourite but why no Remco Evenepoel?

A clash with his wedding means the newly crowned world champion will not show off his rainbow bands in the final Monument of the season. Fresh from scooping a famous Vuelta-Worlds double, Remco Evenepoel is not willing to change the date of his nuptials to add a second Monument win to his swelling palmares this year, the Belgian having won Liege-Bastogne-Liege back in April.

Evenepoel’s absence will play into the hands of defending champion Tadej Pogacar, who did the Liege-Lombardia double himself last year either side of his second win at the Tour de France. A winner in Strade Bianche back in March and Tre Valli Varesine this week, the UAE Team Emirates leader clearly loves racing in Italy and is the form rider entering Saturday’s race.

Ad The Slovenian will come up against a cluster of top-tier names, including compatriot Matej Mohoric, former champions Jakob Fuglsang, Bauke Mollema and Vincenzo Nibali, as well as the man who ended his reign in the yellow jersey this July, Jonas Vingegaard. CRO Race'Very happy and proud' — Mohoric delighted after sealing CRO Race victory02/10/2022 AT 14:12 The last of cycling’s major classics this year will provide a fitting stage for the farewell of two of the sport’s long-serving stars – the Italian double champion Nibali and the Spanish veteran Alejandro Valverde, the latter a three-time runner-up (2013, 2014, 2019) of the so-called ‘Race of the Falling Leaves’ without ever standing on the top step of the podium.

WHEN IS IL LOMBARDIA? The fifth and final Monument of the season takes place on Saturday 8 October. It is due to start at 09:10 UK time and will finish between 15:37 and 16:37 depending on the pace.

There is no women’s edition of Il Lombardia. HOW CAN I WATCH IL LOMBARDIA?