From Bergamo to Como, Groupama-FDJ United experienced an intense day on Saturday at the 120th edition of Il Lombardia. Maxime Decomble first made his way into the breakaway for his first Monument among the elite. Clément Berthet then battled alongside the race favourites, managing to secure a solid 15th place at the finish. Finally, Rudy Molard said goodbye to professional cycling after completing his final race, which was also his favourite.
For part of the peloton, the 2026 season came to an end this Saturday on the hilly roads of the “Race of the Falling Leaves”. The fifth and final Monument of the year, the 120th edition of Il Lombardia once again attracted a particularly strong field on 10 October. With the exception of five-time defending champion Tadej Pogačar, the world’s best riders had gathered for one final showdown on the mountain roads surrounding Lake Como. This year, Como actually hosted the finish, while Bergamo served as the starting point. Despite a very demanding opening section, the decisive moves were expected to come on the climbs of Madonna del Ghisallo, San Fermo della Battaglia, tackled twice, and Civiglio over the final 80 kilometres. The first battle of the day, however, took place on the slopes of Selvino (10 km at 5.5%), after 20 kilometres of racing, where Maxime Decomble managed to join a strong breakaway of around 15 riders. “We knew a good group could get away, and we had named three riders who could join it: Val, Brieuc or Maxime,” Benoît explained. “We wanted to have at least one or two teammates ahead after Madonna del Ghisallo to support Clément. Having a rider in the breakaway gave us a chance to come over that climb in front, or at least in the peloton.”
“Clément fought incredibly hard” – Benoît Vaugrenard
The peloton nevertheless kept the breakaway on a tight leash during the first half of the race, with the gap peaking at barely three minutes. As soon as the riders reached the foot of Madonna del Ghisallo (8.5 km at 5.5%), the pace increased at the front. Maxime Decomble was unable to keep up with his breakaway companions, while the peloton rapidly closed in. Before the final kilometre of the climb, the young Frenchman was caught and subsequently was dropped following the first attacks from the favourites. “He wasn’t far off making it over the summit alongside Clément, but it has to be said that he had recently focused more on time trial training for the European Championships than on preparing for Il Lombardia,” Benoît admitted. The Groupama-FDJ United’s leader for the day therefore found himself isolated in a peloton of around 30 riders as the race headed towards Como. “As expected, it was an elimination race,” Benoît continued. “We anticipated the first major selection on Madonna del Ghisallo, then knew things would explode on the three climbs around Como. In these circumstances, there are rarely any real surprises in this kind of race. Everyone quickly ends up where they belong.” With 30 kilometres remaining, the peloton tackled San Fermo della Battaglia (3 km at 7%) for the first time, with Clément Berthet reaching the top alongside the favourites.
The decisive Civiglio climb (4 km at 10%) came next, and this time the eighth-place finisher at the last Vuelta a España was unable to match the pace. “However, he finished quite well,” Benoît pointed out. “He caught several riders, and he was only about ten seconds short of reaching the summit alongside Evenepoel.” Bridging across would have put him in contention for fourth place within a strong chasing group. However, things unfolded differently, and Clément Berthet reached the second ascent of San Fermo della Battaglia around 20 seconds behind his rivals. He was unable to close the gap and consequently entered the finishing straight alongside three other riders, with 13th place up for grabs. In the sprint, he still managed to secure a very decent top-15 finish. “He wasn’t at his best today,” Benoît admitted. “His legs weren’t as good as they had been at the Tre Valli Varesine, but he still fought incredibly hard to secure 15th place. It’s a result worth highlighting because, apart from Pogačar, the world elite of puncheurs and climbers was there. In that kind of field, getting a major result is no easy task. You have to be at 100%, whereas he was just a little below his best today. It’s still a fine result that confirms his progress and consistency.”
“Rudy can truly be proud of himself” – Benoît Vaugrenard
A few minutes after Clément Berthet, a group of around 20 riders also crossed the finish line. Among them were Lorenzo Germani, Valentin Madouas, Quentin Pacher and, above all, Rudy Molard, taking part in his « last dance » at the highest level of cycling and in the Groupama-FDJ United’s jersey. “He was still very competitive today,” Benoît remarked. “Along with the whole team, we gave him a present last night, and he was already very emotional. Everyone was emotional, actually, myself included, having raced alongside him before becoming his sports director. He spent ten years with the team and has had a 15-year career. He has always worked hard and respected the rules. He hasn’t been spared bad luck, particularly in recent years, but he has managed to bounce back every time. He is a model professional. He can truly be proud of himself. And so can we. Hats off to Rudy.”
