CCC Sprandi Polkowice is heading into the final UCI World Tour race, Il Lombardia. It will be held on arguably the hardest course in the classic’s history.

This year’s edition will run the opposite direction compared to 2015. The riders will start from Como and after covering 241 kilometers they will wrap things up in Bergamo. There are 6 significant climbs on the menu and the longest and the hardest one is located just after the halfway point. It’s 11 kilometer long, peaks in Valcava at 1336m above the sea level and features an average gradient of 8% (at the end it reaches max. 17%).

From the top of the final climb it’s only 3,5 kilometers to the finish and it’s all flat until the line.

Due to tough, hilly terrain the CCC Sprandi Polkowice roster for this event includes mostly climbers – Davide Rebellin, Victor de la Parte, Felix Grossschartner, Jan Hirt. Also Maciej Paterski and Łukasz Owsian, who have been selected for the National Team for the Worlds, made the line-up, as well as fast Simone Ponzi and solid Branislau Samoilau.

All 18 UCI World Tour teams will participate in the classic of the falling leaves. In addition 7 Professional Continental squads have received “wild card” invitations – aside from CCC Sprandi Polkowice, also Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec, Bardiani CSF, Cofidis, Gazprom-Rusvelo, Nippo-Vini Fantini and Wilier Triestina – Southeast.

Lineup of CCC Sprandi Polkowice for Il Lombardia (1.UWT, October 1st): 

Davide Rebellin, Simone Ponzi, Victor de la Parte, Felix Grossschartner, Jan Hirt, Maciej Paterski, Łukasz Owsian, Branislau Samoilau