The autumn classics season is coming to an end, and the prestigious Il Lombardia is shaping up to be the grand finale of the series. Known as the "Race of the Falling Leaves", this competition is not only famous for its breathtaking scenery, but also for its demanding climbs that always test the endurance and strategy of the riders.
Despite the absence of their brightest star Jonas Vingegaard, Team Visma | Lease a Bike presents itself with a strong and motivated squad, looking to leave its mark on this monument of world cycling. On October 11, the bells of the Madonna del Ghisallo will once again ring out, marking the arrival of the riders at one of the most iconic points of Il Lombardia.
This year's course will be no exception, and the Visma | Lease a Bike team faces the challenge with optimism, and an ambition to at least repeat George Bennett's second place from 2020 edition.
With riders like young Cian Uijtdebroeks and Ben Tulett in excellent form, as well as the experienced Sepp Kuss and Tiesj Benoot, the team has enough strength to challenge the big favorites.
Sport director Marc Reef underlines the importance of the collective strategy: "Lombardia is a huge race, so we are very motivated to perform here. It's also a very tough race. The decisive climb this year, the Passo di Ganda, is colossal, especially after such a long day. We bring a strong team, Cian and Ben are in good shape, and Tiesj gets better the harder the race gets, so hopefully everyone can play an important role in the finish."
Benoot, between farewell and the desire for a good end of the season
One of the team's big names, Tiesj Benoot, returns to competition after being affected by an illness that kept him out of the World Championships. His performance at the European Championships, where he showed to be at a high level, gives hope that he will be ready to face the challenge of Il Lombardia.
For the Belgian, this will be a special moment, as it marks not only the end of his season, but also the end of his time with Team Visma | Lease a Bike, a team he joined in 2022 and with which he has shared many experiences.
Tiesj Benoot is a historical cyclist of the Visma team.
Benoot is excited by the atmosphere that always accompanies this race: "The atmosphere in the race is amazing, and the area is beautiful, although the climbs are a bit too hard for me," he says with a smile. "It's the perfect race for climbers, especially when we finish in Bergamo like this year. I really want to finish the season with a good feeling. The race is very honest, so you just hope to have a good day."
This Il Lombardia not only marks the end of Benoot's season, but also his farewell to the squad that welcomed him for two years. The Belgian has been a key player in the classics and stage races, demonstrating an enviable consistency and earning the respect of his teammates.
"It will be special, because I've really felt at home in this team," Benoot reflects. "It's a little sad, but we'll see each other next year on the road, and I'll take all the great memories and relationships I've built here."
Team Visma | Lease a Bike line-up for Il Lombardia 2025:
- Cian Uijtdebroeks
- Ben Tulett
- Sepp Kuss
- Tiesj Benoot
- Steven Kruijswijk
- Tijmen Graat
- Bart Lemmen
Read also
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- It would be great if the World Champion's jersey could be rotated among McNulty, Simmons, and Jorgenson. They threaded the needle perfectly. If each hadn't done exactly what he did, exactly when he did it, the race would have gone to one of the more heralded superstars. That said, how nice that this humble and hardworking guy gets his moment in the sun.
MarkFour07-11-2026 - This is a really interesting idea, which, if well prepared could even be very successful. Very little money needs to be involved for a first season and any success could lead to rapid interest from sponsors.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Hmmm, you seem to have a very convenient black and white view of things. Perhaps you haven’t been around much to discover how complex problems can become over time with people who know how to control, manipulate (or worse) others so gradually or subtly that you arrive at an irresolvable situation before you realise. This is how many inconveniences get introduced to the young, naïve, passionate or “desperate”, knowing they are not armed, protected or strong enough to defend themselves once it’s too late. Why do you think omerta culture is so widespread, why do you think so many people continue to go through so many awful things in life that others can’t understand anyone getting into? Life may be far more jolly for you but you would do well to understand (or reflect more on) the real world to refrain from being so quick to criticise those in a hard spot that may have genuine reason for speaking out.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Seriously do you think when somebody gets into a serious accident, the ambulance is called by the hurt person?🤦 there is always a buddy system in place for a risky job. police , firefighters etc so that if someone gets hurt, the other call that in.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment