Il Lombardia Favourites: Del Toro on his knee, fiery Seixas, laid-back Pidcock, and dangerous underdogs

"My knee is getting better and better. Today was the best day since Gran Piemonte. When I'm standing on the pedals, it's not too bad. It's mainly when I'm sitting in the saddle, so attacking actually helps. We’re just going to take it as it comes, because we want to finish the season strong. It’s no secret that I have this problem, but we need to stay mentally strong to deliver a top performance.”

"I'm pretty nervous, but if I feel good on Saturday, I'll be happy. I don't really care which scenario plays out. The last four climbs are all incredibly tough, and the second-to-last one will likely be the deciding factor. It's going to be a tough day on the bike, and the team is in good shape. Brandon and Adam Yates are flying, so we have several cards to play.”

"I've ridden a few great races over the past few days, and I've tried to recover from them as best I could. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow, but of course, the rainbow jersey doesn't change anything about my abilities as a rider. With Isaac, we have one of the best riders in the world, especially on a course like this. We’ll be there to support him above all else.”

"But everyone knows the UAE; we always try to race aggressively, so we'll keep doing that. The tougher the race gets, the better it will be for Isaac. We’ll have to make it a tough race, but I think several teams are thinking the same way. It’s going to be a tough day, because someone is bound to break up the peloton.”

"This is one of the biggest and most exciting races of the season, so every year I get to compete here, I'm really motivated. After the European Championships, I have some extra motivation, so I’m really looking forward to it. It’s going to be a tough final, where I’ll need to be smart and patient, and make my move at the right moment. I don’t need to go solo, because I can count on my sprint.”

"I think I'm in good shape; I feel good. After the World Championships, I’ve had some good training sessions, and together with the team, we’re ready to give it our all in this race that I love. It’s a race that suits me well, so I’m really motivated to do better than my seventh-place finish from last year, which was my debut.”

"I've had a few quiet days since Tre Valli Varesine. I learn something new every year, and this time it made sense to take it easy and not push myself too hard in training. After all, the season is already under way, so you don’t need to do much in between races. That’s nice—I feel good.”

"It's going to be a really tough race; the route from Bergamo to Como suits me better than the other way around. The local loop in Como is going to be really tough, although I don't know exactly where it will happen. Maybe on the Ghisallo, although there's still quite a flat stretch after that."

"I've actually never really had a good Tour of Lombardy, because by the end of the season I was often a bit drained and not really motivated anymore. This year feels different, so I'm hopeful it will go a lot better. It would be nice for me if the race heated up early, but there are other possible scenarios.”

"I switched gears after the European Championships and continued with my normal training schedule. My focus quickly shifted to Lombardy. It’s my favorite race, but Il Lombardia is always incredibly tough. Maybe it’ll be a little more open this year, now that we’re riding straight to Como after Ghisallo. I feel good and my legs feel good too, so I’m hoping for a great day."

"This will be my last race for Lidl-Trek. The past year hasn't been easy for me, but I can only thank the team. They've always supported me, and tomorrow we'll wrap things up together—hopefully in the best possible way. I'll always be grateful to them."

"I've actually been feeling really good since the Vuelta a España. At the World Championships, my job was to stay with the lead group early on, which left me a bit worn out in the final stretch. But this week I was feeling good again, so I’m confident heading into Lombardy. I think the route toward Como suits me better, and I’m really looking forward to it. It’ll be a good test against the other top riders to see exactly where I stand.”

"It's going to be a race of attrition; by the time we reach Como, the group will already be quite small. With 4 kilometers to go, it'll really break apart—it'll come down purely to leg strength."