Fast forward 12 months and Rodriguez victory in Il Lombardia in 2013 has enabled the veteran Spaniard again to move 20 points ahead of leader Chris Froome, this summer’s Tour de France winner and also, as it happens, Wiggins team-mate at Sky ProCycling.
With one UCIWorldTour race remaining, the Tour of Beijing which starts on Friday October 11th, Rodriguez has 607 points and Froome 587.
History repeated itself in other ways in the 242 kilometre, rain-soaked hilly Classic. Following a long solo attack by Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) which only ended on the Villa Vergano climb, less than 15 kilometres from the finish, Rodríguez shot away from a group of around a dozen favourites close to the summit – in exactly the same place where he had attacked last year.
With barely a handful of seconds on a group of three chasers as he crowned the summit of the climb, on the fast, technical descent and flatter finale through the streets of Lecco, Rodríguez opened up a slightly wider lead.
Come the finish, Rodríguez was ahead by 17 seconds of Alejandro Valverde (Movistar Team), with Rafael Majka (Saxo-Tinkoff) third at 23 seconds – giving him ample time to savour his biggest triumph of 2013.
For the Spaniard, victory in Il Lombardia for the second year running was all the sweeter following a tough World Championships last Sunday in Italy, where in a last metre duel in the streets of Firenze he took silver behind Portugal’s Rui Costa. Valverde, bronze last week in the Elite Mens’ Road-Race, this time went one better with second in Il Lombardia. But he was still behind Rodríguez.
“It’s been a very spectacular victory,” Rodríguez said afterwards. “We all know that Il Lombardia is a Classic ‘Monument’ and with this kind of form, I really wanted to try to win again. And I wanted to win like this, alone and thanks to a big attack.”
He said, too, that he would have liked to have won with the rainbow jersey of World Champion on his shoulders, but that even so “this was a great win. I was the rider to beat, the top favourite, everybody knew where I would attack, and even so – I won.”
Rodríguez is far from the only rider to benefit in the UCI WorldTour individual rankings thanks to Il Lombardía. Valverde has jumped from fifth to third overall with 540 points, pushing Peter Sagan (Cannondale Pro Cycling) and Vincenzo Nibali (Astana Pro Team) – both of whom abandoned during the race – down into fourth and fifth spots. In the other main change in the top ten overall, Daniel Martin (Garmin Sharp), who finished fourth after crashing, moves up from eleventh to eighth, too.
Whilst Sky ProCycling remain in command in the UCI WorldTour teams rankings, the nations rankings is equally stable. With a current total of 1841 Spain have now stretched their already considerable overall lead even further, gaining another 220 points on second placed Italy – who in turn, have opened up a bigger gap, albeit of just 30 points, on Colombia in third.
Although a lot of nations have consolidated their rankings positions, in fact the only shift in placings in the top ten is for Poland, who have gained three places, up from thirteenth to tenth, in large part thanks to Rafael Majka’s third place in Il Lombardia.
The end of the 2013 UCIWorldTour is coming up fast, with only the Tour of Beijing left to go, from October 11th to October 15th. Will Rodríguez remain in command of the individual rankings, or will we see yet more changes? Check back in just over a week’s time!
UCI Rankings here.
Results
1. Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Esp) Katusha 6:10:18
2. Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Esp) Movistar Team 0:17
3. Rafal Majka (Pol) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 0:23
4. Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin-Sharp 0:45
5. Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana Pro Team
6. Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Esp) Katusha 0:55
7. Pieter Serry (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
8. Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
9. Ivan Santaromita (Ita) BMC Racing Team
10. Robert Gesink (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
11. Ivan Basso (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling
12. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ.fr
13. Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Esp) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
14. Ben Hermans (Bel) RadioShack Leopard
15. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
16. Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar Team
17. Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team Europcar 1:07
18. Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano
19. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
20. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team
21. Mikel Landa Meana (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi
22. Dario Cataldo (Ita) Sky Procycling 1:33
23. Darwin Atapuma Hurtado (Col) Colombia
24. Bartosz Huzarski (Pol) Team NetApp-Endura
25. Kristijan Durasek (Cro) Lampre-Merida
26. Johann Tschopp (Sui) IAM Cycling
27. Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 1:59
28. Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-Merida 2:46
29. Diego Rosa (Ita) Androni Giocattoli 3:02
30. Emanuele Sella (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
31. Carlos Alberto Betancur Gomez (Col) AG2R La Mondiale 3:38
32. Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team 3:44
33. Stefan Denifl (Aut) IAM Cycling 4:05
34. Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar 4:08
35. Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol 5:31
36. Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre-Merida 7:27
37. Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Katusha
38. Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Movistar Team 8:35
39. Yury Trofimov (Rus) Katusha
40. Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 0:10:37
41. Maxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
42. Thomas Damuseau (Fra) Team Argos-Shimano 0:10:49
43. Miguel Angel Rubiano Chavez (Col) Androni Giocattoli 0:10:56
44. Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team
45. Marc Goos (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team 0:11:11
46. Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team 0:11:50
47. Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Argos-Shimano 0:11:52
48. Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Belisol 0:11:53
49. Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo-Tinkoff
50. Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
51. Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Saxo-Tinkoff
52. Louis Meintjes (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka
53. Dirk Bellemakers (Ned) Lotto Belisol 0:20:46
HD Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka 0:37:35
DNF Sergei Chernetckii (Rus) Katusha
DNF Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Katusha
DNF Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Katusha
DNF Angel Vicioso Arcos (Esp) Katusha
DNF Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Riccardo Chiarini (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
DNF Patrick Facchini (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
DNF Fabio Felline (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
DNF Marco Frapporti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
DNF Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF Simone Ponzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF Bram Tankink (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
DNF Stef Clement (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
DNF Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
DNF David Tanner (Aus) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
DNF Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
DNF Mathias Frank (Sui) BMC Racing Team
DNF Marco Pinotti (Ita) BMC Racing Team
DNF Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team
DNF Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team
DNF Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale Pro Cycling
DNF Damiano Caruso (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling
DNF Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling
DNF Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling
DNF Maciej Paterski (Pol) Cannondale Pro Cycling
DNF Daniele Ratto (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling
DNF Cameron Wurf (Aus) Cannondale Pro Cycling
DNF Robinson Eduardo Chalapud Gomez (Col) Colombia
DNF Fabio Andres Duarte Arevalo (Col) Colombia
DNF Leonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Colombia
DNF Jarlinson Pantano (Col) Colombia
DNF Carlos Julian Quintero (Col) Colombia
DNF Jeffry Johan Romero Corredor (Col) Colombia
DNF Juan Pablo Valencia (Col) Colombia
DNF Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF Garikoitz Bravo Oiarbide (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF Juan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF Arnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJ.fr
DNF Murilo Antonio Fischer (Bra) FDJ.fr
DNF Alexandre Geniez (Fra) FDJ.fr
DNF Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ.fr
DNF Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ.fr
DNF Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) FDJ.fr
DNF Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ.fr
DNF Caleb Fairly (USA) Garmin-Sharp
DNF Nathan Haas (Aus) Garmin-Sharp
DNF Alex Howes (USA) Garmin-Sharp
DNF Michel Kreder (Ned) Garmin-Sharp
DNF Lachlan David Morton (Aus) Garmin-Sharp
DNF Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Garmin-Sharp
DNF David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Sharp
DNF Matthias Brandle (Aut) IAM Cycling
DNF Jonathan Fumeaux (Sui) IAM Cycling
DNF Reto Hollenstein (Sui) IAM Cycling
DNF Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) IAM Cycling
DNF Sébastien Reichenbach (Sui) IAM Cycling
DNF Marcel Wyss (Sui) IAM Cycling
DNF Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Merida
DNF Winner Anacona Gomez (Col) Lampre-Merida
DNF Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre-Merida
DNF Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Lampre-Merida
DNF Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre-Merida
DNF Gaetan Bille (Bel) Lotto Belisol
DNF Brian Bulgac (Ned) Lotto Belisol
DNF Francis De Greef (Bel) Lotto Belisol
DNF Gert Dockx (Bel) Lotto Belisol
DNF Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Lotto Belisol
DNF Andrey Amador Bakkazakova (Crc) Movistar Team
DNF Eros Capecchi (Ita) Movistar Team
DNF Jesus Herrada Lopez (Esp) Movistar Team
DNF Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Esp) Movistar Team
DNF Songezo Jim (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka
DNF Tsgabu Gebremaryam Grmay (Eth) MTN-Qhubeka
DNF Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) MTN-Qhubeka
DNF Sergio Pardilla Bellon (Esp) MTN-Qhubeka
DNF Meron Russom (Eri) MTN-Qhubeka
DNF Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka
DNF Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
DNF Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
DNF Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
DNF Dries Devenyns (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
DNF Serge Pauwels (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
DNF Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
DNF Michael Albasini (Sui) Orica-GreenEdge
DNF Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
DNF Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
DNF Michael Matthews (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
DNF Christian Meier (Can) Orica-GreenEdge
DNF Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
DNF Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) Orica-GreenEdge
DNF Pieter Weening (Ned) Orica-GreenEdge
DNF Andy Schleck (Lux) RadioShack Leopard
DNF Jan Bakelants (Bel) RadioShack Leopard
DNF George Bennett (Nzl) RadioShack Leopard
DNF Matthew Busche (USA) RadioShack Leopard
DNF Maxime Monfort (Bel) RadioShack Leopard
DNF Nelson Filipe Santos Simoes Oliveira (Por) RadioShack Leopard
DNF Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Esp) RadioShack Leopard
DNF Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky Procycling
DNF Christian Knees (Ger) Sky Procycling
DNF Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Sky Procycling
DNF Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling
DNF Xabier Zandio Echaide (Esp) Sky Procycling
DNF Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano
DNF Francois Parisien (Can) Team Argos-Shimano
DNF Thomas Peterson (USA) Team Argos-Shimano
DNF Georg Preidler (Aut) Team Argos-Shimano
DNF Natnael Berhane (Eri) Team Europcar
DNF Giovanni Bernaudeau (Fra) Team Europcar
DNF Vincent Jerome (Fra) Team Europcar
DNF Davide Malacarne (Ita) Team Europcar
DNF Bjorn Thurau (Ger) Team Europcar
DNF Angelo Tulik (Fra) Team Europcar
DNF Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Team NetApp-Endura
DNF Iker Camano Ortuzar (Esp) Team NetApp-Endura
DNF José Joao Pimenta Costa Mendes (Por) Team NetApp-Endura
DNF Erick Rowsell (Gbr) Team NetApp-Endura
DNF Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Team NetApp-Endura
DNF Paul Voss (Ger) Team NetApp-Endura
DNF Alexander Wetterhall (Swe) Team NetApp-Endura
DNF Alberto Contador Velasco (Esp) Team Saxo-Tinkoff
DNF Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Team Saxo-Tinkoff
DNF Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team Saxo-Tinkoff
DNF Rory Sutherland (Aus) Team Saxo-Tinkoff
DNF Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
DNF Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
DNF Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
DNF Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
DNF Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
DNF Willem Wauters (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team