As riders cross the finish line every year in Lombardy, they do so following an exciting and exhausting season of racing. Nicknamed the “Classica delle foglie morte” or “the Classic of the falling leaves,” Il Lombardia’s typical October schedule places it as each year’s final Monument and as one of the last legs on the UCI competitive calendar. But of course, 2020 has been anything but typical.

As the third race in the postponed World Tour season, this year’s Il Lombardia will be a celebration of the start of racing instead of the end. Combining elevation with distance, the Giro di Lombardia as it’s also known, favours climbers as riders jockey for position over a very hilly 240 km course between Bergamo and Como. Yet instead of its usual victory-lap vibes, the 2020 race will give riders the unique opportunity to grab a big win early.

For only the third time in this Autumn Classic’s illustrious 114-year history, the Tour of Lombardy will not be held as regularly scheduled. But change, even with a Classic, provides an exciting new perspective on the familiarity of one of cycling’s most storied and anticipated races.