Giulio Ciccone fond of his third place at Lombardia: "Being on the podium with Pogacar and Evenepoel gives added value to my result"

Giulio Ciccone found a great at the autumn classics. The Italian was the first rider to attack on Comma di Sormano and later was able to come back into the battle for podium thanks to his Lidl-Trek teammate Bauke Mollema and finish third.

Far behind dominant Tadej Pogacar, the battle for other places on the final podium wasn't so sky clear. Remco Evenepoel hesitated for a while before making his move to secure second. Behind, it seemed for a long time that a group of three with Pavel Sivakov, Lennert Van Eetvelt and Enric Mas would battle it out for "bronze".

However under San Fermo climb, a group of nine cyclists hadn't given up and caught up with the trio. Off the back, home hero Giulio Ciccone rolled a powerful attack and managed to hold off the chasers to secure a spot on podium next to phenomenons Pogacar and Evenepoel. Something he clearly values in an interview after the race: "It's a podium that means a lot to me, it's the best way to end a difficult year."

Ciccone had to overcome an injury in spring, which threw a metaphorical stick in the wheel of his plans. "I only started racing in March, it cost me a significant part of the season and I was forced to review my plans and goals. It's a result that gives me the morale to prepare for the new season with confidence and good humor."

"Il Lombardia is a difficult race, you are destroyed when you finish it, but it's a fantastic classic that I love. Today I'm on the podium for the first time, and the dream is to one day climb to the top step," Ciccone declares combatively. "Afterwards, you have to be realistic, I'm racing in an era where there are absolute champions. Being on the podium with two of them, Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel, is already a kind of satisfaction and it gives added value to my result," he concludes a bit more reasonably.