The Giro di Lombardia is a classic cycle race. Firstly, it’s one of the five ‘monuments’ of cycling: legendary one-day races that send shivers down the spine of any cycling fan. The monuments are Milan-San Remo, the Paris-Roubaix, the Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the Tour of Flanders and – last on the UCI calendar, the first Saturday in October – the Giro di Lombardia.

Founded in 1905, Lombardy is the race with the most climbing and is the only one that takes place after the Tour de France and the World Championships. It’s also the race that has changed the most from edition to edition. For the first 50 years, the Lombardy went from Milan to Milan: the very first edition touched on the cities of Lodi, Varese, Como, Lecco and Bergamo, but without any real climbs (these were years in which the condition of the roads and bicycles made sufficient selection), since the 1950s the Ghisallo Pass has remained a more or less fixed point in the changing route (between 2004 and 2006 the start was even in Mendrisio, Switzerland).

For more than 50 years, it started and finished in Milan. The very first edition passed through the towns of Lodi, Varese, Como, Lecco and Bergamo, without any real climbs, since the condition of the roads and bikes was enough to select the participants. Since the 1950s, the Ghisallo pass has remained a more or less fixed point in the route changes. Between 2004 and 2006, the start was even given in Mendrisio, Switzerland.

The stretch between Vallassina and the top of the Triangolo Lariano is a must for cyclists. At the top is the sanctuary of the Madonna del Ghisallo, a well-stocked cycling museum. There are busts of Fausto Coppi, the record holder for victories (five), and Gino Bartali, the record holder for podium finishes (nine), as well as an emblematic statue. Other parts of the race caused a sensation, such as the Boccola in Bergamo and the nearby Sormano wall. However, the history of Lombardy was written on the Ghisallo.

The Collection, which aims to bring together all the famous places crossed over the years by the Classique des feuilles mortes, had to pass through this place. Held in autumn, this race marked by the dying of the trees is the last major event of the cycling season.

Get ready to climb some of the most famous hills in the Bergamo region, such as Colle Gallo, home to another splendid cycling museum. As you head towards Brianza, the straights will seem endless.

Along the entirely paved 354 kilometres (220 mi), there’s no shortage of climbs. Make sure you have gears agile enough to tackle gradients of more than 20%. As all the regions you'll be cycling through are densely populated, you'll have no trouble finding hostels, gîtes or hotels where you can spend the night. Of course, autumn is the best time to take this trip.

The starting point is not far from the first ascent of the 2021 edition, the Roncola, near Cisano Bergamasco. The station is on the Lecco-Brescia line, which is easily accessible from Milan. The finish is in Como, after two emblematic climbs, the Civiglio and San Fermo della Battaglia. You can catch the train at one of the city's many stations: Como San Giovanni, Como Lago, Como Camerlata and Como Borghi.

All that remains is for me to wish you an exciting adventure.