
Movistar Team are finding themselves in a rather unusual position this late into the season as they enter an incredibly packed Il Lombardia with two riders in position for the win. Most importantly however, this will be the final race in Alejandro Valverde's career.
Over the last few months tributes have been made towards the Spaniard, who will close a long career at the Italian monument, one he's never won but has been close on countless occasions, and will be a favourite for the race. Lacking it's high mountains, the terrain will be more suited to the veteran, who's finished on the Top4 at all Italian Autumn classics he's recently raced: Giro dell'Emilia, Tre Valli Varesine and Coppa Agostoni.
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He won't be the team's only option however, as Enric Mas comes in after a storming Vuelta a Espana where he's finished in second place, but an even more impressive win at the Giro dell'Emilia where he beat Tadej Pogacar to take the win. The climber is on superb form and will be a prime contender to take the win in Como.
The Spanish team won't have much support in the climbs, but Iva´n García Cortina who's just came off a win at Gran Piemonte can be an outsider on a good day. Experienced riders José Joaquín Rojas and Imanol Erviti will be in support, as will Jorge Arcas and Johan Jacobs.
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Movistar Team for Il Lombardia: Alejandro Valverde, Enric Mas, Imanol Erviti, Iván García Cortina, José Joaquín Rojas, Jorge Arcas and Johan Jacobs.

Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- I know, watch the video. and listen to her competitors. it was a tricky tacky call at best. WTF is this guy talking about??? my original comment was from the picture it didn't look like anything.mij09-11-2026
- I dunno what you're talking about. you make no sense. MS's competitor and the competitors coach said it was BS. she didn't deviate in a way that relegation should be required. revel LOL. you're so cool, in your own mind.mij09-11-2026
- deviation lol, watch the videomij09-11-2026
- the 'No different than women who follow and discuss celebs through gossip magazines' comment was unfortunately a bit off. didn't you just boast about your principles in the comments section of another article?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- Are you MrMauMau 2.0? Nothing you are saying is really relevant. Vaguely connected, but irrelevant. The conversation is whether Schreiber impeded Brand or not.
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Yeah, unreal.
parisbound0008-11-2026
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Por encima de todo, inmensamente felices de poder llegar aquí de esta manera. @alejanvalverde se despide este sábado del ciclismo profesional, a su mejor nivel y a por todas. #LaÚltimaBala 🚀💙 📙 bit.ly/GuiaLombardia22 @Il_Lombardia
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