“In Como, next to a lake, beer in my hand. It doesn’t really get better” - Matteo Jorgenson signs off 2026 in style after lighting up Il Lombardia
Cycling
Matteo Jorgenson may not have ended his 2026 season with another victory, but the American was hardly complaining as he stood by Lake Como with a beer in his hand after helping to animate the finale of Il Lombardia.
Team Visma | Lease a Bike went into the final Monument of the year without one of the standout favourites for victory, and Jorgenson tried to change the race before the steepest climbs around Como decided it.
Jorgenson attacks before the favourites take over
His move came on the Madonna del Ghisallo, where Louis Barré helped launch Jorgenson from the reduced peloton. Quinn Simmons and Brandon McNulty quickly followed, with Christian Scaroni joining them as the quartet opened a gap over the favourites.
The attack was eventually brought back before the first passage of San Fermo della Battaglia, with Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe putting Giulio Pellizzari and later Primoz Roglic to work for Remco Evenepoel.
“We tried some fun tactics and we weren't favourites for the race because it's just such a hard and honest race,” Jorgenson told Cycling Pro Net. “So we had to go long.”
Jorgenson was eventually distanced as the race reached the steeper final climbs, before Paul Seixas blew the favourites apart on Civiglio on his way to victory.
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“It doesn’t really get better”
Lombardia was Jorgenson's final race of a long 2026 campaign, and the American sounded more relieved than disappointed once he reached Como.
“The year is so long, you know. It's nice to finish,” he said. “I think it was a fun day. It was a great way to finish. Super fun. I had a blast out there and it was just a beautiful day.”
He had remained competitive deep into the autumn, including third place at Tre Valli Varesine earlier in the week, before closing his season with another aggressive ride in Lombardia. “What a place to finish the season,” Jorgenson smiled. “In Como, next to a lake, beer in my hand. It doesn't really get better.”
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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Rafionain-Glas10-10-2026 - Bravo Paul Seixas!!! It just goes to show what BS UAE and Del Toro are without Pogi. It just goes to show that Remco "the great" is not great. Did he win the WC? NO!!! Is he going to win Il Lombardia-a Monument? NO!!! He won a BS second class race in Slovenia (my country), but when it comes to the "big boys" he's nothing (not including ITT). In the end of the cycling season 2026, we can all see why Pogi is THE GOAT...and we can all see a new rising star PAUL SEIXAS. Everything else is a sad sad story. PS: Remco's two big goals at the end of the season were: The WC in the road race and the Monument Il Lombardia. He won NOTHING!!! Ad acta!!!PogiSloFans10-10-2026
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