Visma set to repeat successful two leader strategy at Il Lombardia amongst team illness and uncertainty

Davide Piganzoli and Matteo Jorgenson are typically at the top of the pack on the Visma | Lease a Bike team. The Italian won the Tour of Luxembourg and the Giro dell'Emilia, while Jorgenson is also making a big impression with his current form.

The 27-year-old American hasn't won yet this year, but he's been in solid form in recent weeks. At the World Championships, he impressed in his role as a lead-out man for his compatriot Brandon McNulty. At Visma | Lease a Bike, he helped Piganzoli secure victory in the Giro dell'Emilia in the same role.

At Tre Valli Varesine, Jorgenson was part of the decisive breakaway, but in a three-way sprint, he was no match for Jarno Widar and Tom Pidcock. Nevertheless, Visma | Lease a Bike can look forward to the Tour of Lombardy with confidence.

In the Race of the Falling Leaves, the wheat is usually separated from the chaff in a race with more than 4,600 meters of elevation gain. Piganzoli and Jorgenson can count on their legs to get them through it. And if things get tactical in the final stretch and everyone is evenly matched, that’s when the real strategy comes into play.

In addition to Piganzoli and Jorgenson, Visma | Lease a Bike is also sending Ben Tulett to the race. The Brit finished fourth in the Giro dell'Emilia but had to withdraw from Tre Valli Varesine due to illness. The question, then, is whether the puncher will be in top form on Saturday.

The same goes for Louis Barré, who was in excellent form until he broke his wrist during training in early September. He missed the World Championships, but immediately got back on the rollers and thus achieved his main goal: Il Lombardia. Does he still have the legs that earned him stage wins in the Tour of Poland, among other races?...

Tijmen Graat is the Dutch rider selected for the Tour of Lombardy. The No. 24 finisher at the European Championships will typically ride as a support rider on the climbs. Bruno Armirail and Victor Campenaerts are expected to protect the team as experienced road captains. Campenaerts is replacing Tim Rex, who is ill.