“I didn’t expect to be on the podium” - Former Lombardia winner Bauke Mollema returning for potentially final time on a high after 3rd at Gran Piemonte

Bauke Mollema was all smiles at the finish line after a surprise third place at Gran Piemonte 2025, a result that signals a late-season resurgence for the veteran Dutchman ahead of this weekend’s Il Lombardia.

Now 38 years old and set to retire at the end of the 2026 season, the 2019 Il Lombardia champion showed he can still mix it with the best on a tough final climb to Favria, finishing behind race winner Isaac Del Toro and runner-up Marc Hirschi.

“I didn’t expect to be on the podium today, but my form is good and that makes me happy,” Mollema said post-race to Cycling Pro Net. “I felt strong on the last climb and managed to follow the right wheels. Of course, Del Toro was the strongest, but I think I can be proud of this result.”

With Gran Piemonte now behind him, Mollema turns his focus to a race he knows well but which will feature a much deeper field, including many of the riders absent today. “I think the form is good, but yeah, there’s a lot of other guys who weren’t here today who will be there on Saturday,” he said. “So it will be way harder than today. But also in the team we have a few other guys who I think are able to do really well on Saturday, and I hope to be up there as well.”

At 38 and set to retire at the end of next season, this could be one of Mollema’s final appearances at the Italian Monument, adding an extra layer of significance to his late-season form and confidence. “I was hoping for a good result today, but honestly I didn’t expect to be on the podium myself,” he reiterated.

Mollema’s performance in Gran Piemonte confirms that, even as he approaches the final year of his professional career, he remains a force in the closing phases of races and a contender to watch at the last big Italian races of the season.