Bauke Mollema in brilliant form ahead of Il Lombardia but has no illusions: "I'm afraid that nothing can be done about Tadej Pogacar"

There are a few riders that are connected to specific races in cycling in a way that's hard to match. One such connection is that of Bauke Mollema and Il Lombardia. The Dutchman is close to breaking the participation record in the final monument of the season (riding it for the first time in 2008) and is very motivated to bring home a result on the roads where he's had the biggest success of his career.

"And I'm going to continue for another two years in principle. It would be great if I could become the sole record holder in the coming years. That I have ridden such an Italian monument more often than the Italians themselves," Mollema said in an interview with NOS. The Dutchman is set to race the Italian for the 16th time, a race he has won in 2019 and has a good history of performances.

"The biggest victory of my career. I think it's a beautiful race. A tough race too. When I first participated in 2008, I really wasn't ready for it. I think I did a bit of the climb to Madonna del Ghisallo then dropped off. Now I enjoy it every time we ride past that famous cycling chapel and the bells are rung".

The race ends in Como this year, but following a slightly different route which does not include Civiglio, and does not feature the Muro di Sormano but instead the longer and less steep vertent. "For me, that is the real Tour of Lombardy. With the Ghisallo in the final, then the Muro di Sormano and the Civiglio just before the finish. This year they have changed quite a bit.

He understands why the steep ascent was removed from the course though: "We will do the Sormano, but not that steep wall. I think that is because of the dangerous descent, where Remco Evenepoel, Laurens De Plus and Jan Bakelants dived into the ravine. I actually think that is a shame. Now it has become a normal climb of no less than 13 kilometers. And then it looks more like a mountain stage than a classic".

Mollema has struggled to match the evolution in pro cycling within the past few years, but recently has found peak form and rode to a sixth place at the GP de Québec and 12th at the World Championships where he was in the main chasing group behind Pogacar for a long time. He is hoping that translates into a result in Italy, where he will team up with last year's runner-up Andrea Bagioli, fourth place at the Worlds Toms Skujins and Giulio Ciccone.

"I was good at the World Championships, but I'm not sure if that will still be the case after two weeks. And I'm afraid that nothing can be done about Tadej Pogacar. I scouted the final this week and later I saw that Pogacar had ridden up the Sormano minutes faster than I had. What he does is really impressive," Mollema admits.

"I understand that people will find it boring when he throws out one of those long solos again. That is perhaps also a part of modern cycling: Evenepoel and Mathieu van der Poel do it too. But beating Pogacar at the moment is not going to happen. I think he will have already left on the Sormano," he concludes.