A new frontier in rider unity, Pogačar-less unpredictability, and how to honour the rainbow jersey – Reflections from Il Lombardia

I have just returned home to the UK after my first time covering Il Lombardia , and it was certainly a memorable trip. We had a hefty dose of off-the-bike drama, a victory you sense will shape the next decade of the sport, and plenty of feel-good, end-of-season (and also end-of-career) vibes in the golden glow of the sunlight bouncing off the hills around Lake Como. It was my first time covering The Race of the Falling Leaves, as this race has traditionally been the domain of Cyclingnews ' resident adopted-Italian, Stephen Farrand.