For a large part of the peloton, the 2024 road cycling season ended this Saturday, on the shores of Lake Como. While the world champion Tadej Pogacar achieved another dominant win on Il Lombardia, Groupama-FDJ initially went on the attack by placing Rémy Rochas and Rudy Molard in the breakaway. The duo was eventually caught on the Colma di Sormano, where the Slovenian went on his own. A member of a chasing group in the last hour of racing, David Gaudu concluded his season with a brave sprint to 9th place.
In its 118th edition, Il Lombardia headed to Como. One year after Thibaut Pinot’s unforgettable farewell in Bergamo, the last Monument of the year started at around 10:30 this Saturday for a long 255-kilometre journey including eight climbs. Before the Madonna del Ghisallo-Colma di Sormano sequence in the second half of the race, a tough start was in store for the riders, with a series of climbs starting at kilometre 20. From the first of these, the Groupama-FDJ team stood out with Rémy Rochas, while the fight for the breakaway was still on. “We wanted to be represented in big moves to try to get a little head start”, explained Thierry Bricaud. “Our goal was to support David as much as possible, and that started by being one step ahead for riders like me,” confirmed Rémy. “We did that perfectly. I accelerated from the first climb to try to get away. We spent a lot of energy with Kelderman, fortunately some guys joined us, but it still took a while to get clear because UAE didn’t really want it to go.” Seven riders initially formed the breakaway, which grew to thirteen men, before another counterattack, which included Rudy Molard, established on the Selvino climb. “I hadn’t planned to break away, but when I saw some riders like Arensman and Benoot attacking, I decided to follow,” he said.
“I’m ending the season on a very good note”, David Gaudu
In the end, twenty-two riders, and some strong ones, made up the leading group after almost two hours of racing. “It was a really tough day up front, we never looked at each other too much and we tried to increase the gap as much as possible because we knew we needed a big lead before the final”, added Rudy. “The team was committed and aggressive, like Rudy and Rémy showed”, praised Thierry. “It was a good thing. We would have liked to have a little more of a gap, it didn’t go as we would have liked, but that’s part of the game”. Although the peloton was about five minutes down with 100 kilometres to go, the pace really went up from Madonna del Ghisallo’s climb. The bunch got thinner, and the gap reduced to just two minutes at the summit, which Rudy Molard passed first. “A few years ago, I didn’t do the sprint and I later saw a rider from the breakaway on the podium with a beautiful trophy,” said the French puncher. “I had the opportunity to be first at the top, and for me, the Madonna del Ghisallo and the chapel are iconic. I like this connection with history. Also, it cost me nothing to do the sprint and get this beautiful trophy.” Certain to leave the race with a souvenir, Rudy Molard didn’t stop there anyway. He made a first attack in the run-in to the Colma di Sormano, then went for it again once the thirteen kilometres of climbing at 6.5% began.
He was quickly joined by Rémy Rochas, and the Groupama-FDJ duo set the pace during the first few kilometres of the climb while the peloton was getting close. With just under fifty kilometres to go, the last riders standing from the break were caught, Tadej Pogacar made an attack straight away and went solo. While Romain Grégoire was dropped a few moments earlier, David Gaudu entered a second chasing group. “We were all pulling, everyone played its part because it was in everyone’s interest for the group to keep on going,” said David. After two groups got back together before Como, the Groupama-FDJ rider tackled the final climb, that of San Fermo della Battaglia, with about ten riders fighting for sixth place. A few kilometres further on, on the line, he ultimately fought for eighth and eventually got ninth after a reduced group sprint. “I was missing an hour of racing in my legs to fight at 100% in the final,” he said. “Just like in the world championship. I came away with ninth place, I think that’s not too bad if you look at who I’m finishing with. No one would decline a top-10 in a Monument, even if we always want more. I’m ending the season on a very good note. It would have been excellent if I had fought for the podium.”
“It is a big boost for next year,” David Gaudu
“It’s a good top 10 that reflects his end of season,” added Thierry Bricaud. Winner of the Tour du Jura and on the Tour de Luxembourg, sixth in the Vuelta, David Gaudu took a quick look back after he took off his last 2024 bib. “I had four goals this season,” he concluded. “The first one was the Tour, which didn’t go well. The second one was to win again, which I did twice. The third one was to do a complete season from February to October, which I did (86 days of racing, editor’s note). The fourth one was to fight again for GC over one week and three weeks. I did it on the Vuelta, in Luxembourg, and also a little bit on the Tour Romandie and the Critérium du Dauphiné. Three of the four goals have been completed. It’s certainly not my best season, but I still made some nice results, and it is a big boost for next year. We can go on holiday with peace of mind.”
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