William Junior Lecerf wins the 95th edition of Il Lombardia U23. From one Belgian to another: Lecerf succeeds his compatriot Alec Segaert in the list of winners, with Segaert remaining in the shadows today. Born in 2002 and hailing from Halle, the Soudal Quick Step Development rider triumphed in a sprint ahead of his breakaway companion, the Irishman Archie Ryan (Jumbo Visma), who dominated the climbs, passing first at both Ghisallo and Colle Brianza. Completing the podium is another Belgian, Ramses Debruyne (Lotto Dstny). The runner-up in the World Championships, Morgado, finished fourth, the Dutchman Graat fifth, and a brave and combative Galimberti from Biesse Carrera, the first of our Italian riders, finished sixth.
THE RACE REPORT
From Oggiono, 141 riders representing 30 teams, including 18 foreign and 12 Italian, started the race. The first action unfolded at kilometer 7 with a breakaway of 13 riders: the Dutch Huising (Jumbo Visma) and Reinderink (Soudal Quick Step Devo), the French Gruel (Groupama FDJ) and Magnier (Trinity Racing), the Trentino Iacomoni (Sias Rime Cicli Drali), the British Askey (Groupama FDJ) and Smith (Trinity Racing), the Belgians Detalle (Bingoal) and Debaele (Basso Flanders), the Portuguese vice world champion Morgado (Hagens Berman Axeon), the Dane Andersen (Hagens Berman Axeon), the Israeli Raisberg (Israel Premier Tech Academy), and the Swiss Markwalder (Velo Club Mendrisio). The breakaway gained a maximum lead of 2’50” over the peloton. On Ghisallo, the leading group thinned out, leaving 8 riders at the front, who were then joined by Crommelinck, Graat, Van Bekkum, Nerurkar, Lecerf, Maris, Debruyne, Francesco Galimberti (Biesse Carrera), Diego Bracalente (Colpack Ballan CSB), the Eritrean Araya, and the Irishman Ryan (Jumbo Visma), who was the first to pass the GPM of Ghisallo. On the way back to Oggiono, Galimberti, Huising, Graat, Debruyne, and Magnier made a move but were quickly joined by Ryan. It was the Irishman from Jumbo Visma who attacked on Colle Brianza, with Galimberti attempting to follow but to no avail. The Belgian Lecerf (Soudal Quick Step Devo) then joined the leader, while behind them a quartet formed with Galimberti, Debruyne, Morgado, and Graat. The final came down to a sprint between Lecerf and Ryan, with Lecerf taking the victory. Debruyne completed the podium in third place at Il Lombardia U23. Sixth place, and the first Italian, went to a determined Francesco Galimberti.
FINAL CLASSIFICATION 170 km in 3h 51’44 average/h 43.290
1. William Junior Lecerf (Bel-Soudal Quick Step Devo);
2. Archie Ryan (Irl-Jumbo Visma);
3. Ramses Debruyne (Bel-Lotto Dstny) 49";
4. Antonio Morgado (Por-Hagens Berman Axeon) 51";
5. Tijmen Graat (Ned-Jumbo Visma) 55";
6. Francesco Galimberti (Ita-Biesse Carrera) 1'40";
7. Mathys Rondel (Fra-Tudor Pro Cycling) 2'14";
8. Alec Segaert (Bel-Lotto Dstny) 2'16";
9. Lukas Nerurkar (Gbr-Trinity Racing);
10. Giacomo Villa (Biesse Carrera)
