Paul SEIXAS. 10 with honors. He's the one who accelerates on the Civiglio, 18 kilometers from the finish: 51,151. Moser has nothing to do with it, especially since we're talking about Paul Seixas and Remco Evenepoel, the Frenchman with bib number 51 and the Belgian with 151. The rider from Lyon takes control of the situation and gives the Belgian a masterclass. In other words: if there's no Taddeo, then there's me! It's a pleasure to watch the transalpine rider pedal, an "enfant prodige," who today writes a new chapter in history. A year ago, at his first participation, he finished 7th; today he wins at just 20 years old: the fourth youngest ever to triumph in a Monument (the record belongs to Belgian Fastre, 1st at Liège in 1909 at age 18) and the youngest since 1944. Pogacar is missing, but the rider from Lyon arrives: we're still talking about giants.

Enric MAS. 8. He's aware that he's returned as a guarantee in the mountains, but he's equally aware that the Frenchman comes from another galaxy and he's someone with his feet firmly on the ground.

Giulio CICCONE. 7. That he's constantly in the elite of professional cycling is now an established fact. He's an athlete of absolute quality, but in terms of stature, there's always someone a few centimeters taller.

Remco EVENEPOEL. 5. He's the real loser of the day, exactly like at the World Championships. When the distance is more than 200 kilometers and the elevation gain goes well above 4,000 meters, he has something less not only compared to Paul Seixas, but compared to many other riders. Too many. Today, on the climbs, he paid the price against almost all the favorites, but with the tenacity of an absolute champion, he makes his defeats more digestible, even if they're still defeats.

Brandon MCNULTY. 6.5. The world champion puts himself at the service of Isaac del Toro, then has to save the UAE team's ship alone.

Tom PIDCOCK. 5.5. He's always there, with the best, but in the end he always leaves with plenty of applause and few medals.

Pello BILBAO. 9. At 36 years old, he says goodbye to racing with a 7th place finish that's much more than just a calling card.

Christian SCARONI. 6.5. He's an exemplary regular. A season of quality and consistency right to the end. For what he produces, he'd deserve something more, but he's our best seasonal performer.

Filippo ZANA. 6.5. He races with courage and resilience. He also finishes in the best possible way.

Ben HEALY. 5. If someone like him can't stand out in a race that's the ultimate expression of climbing pacemakers, when and where will we see him?

Isaac DEL TORO. 4. On everyone's lips, he doesn't make his voice heard by anyone. By now it's a verdict: in races over 200 kilometers, he's not there.

Matteo JORGENSON. 4. The 27-year-old American from Visma Lease a Bike is the symbol of the Dutch team's failure: they all go down, from first to last.

Giulio PELLIZZARI. 8.5. At the service of Evenepoel, the Duke of Camerino pilots the King: commendable work, today as well, with class and determination. He paves the way for the Belgian with crazy pedaling cadences. He accelerates, relaunches, churns, insists with vigor: what a race!

Ben O'CONNOR. 7.5. From the group of breakaway riders, 50 kilometers from the finish, the Australian from Jayco AlUla exits in the company of Moniquet, Leonard, Bernard, Bennett, Vervaeke, and Leemreize.

Victor CAMPENAERTS. 7. The 34-year-old Belgian from Visma Lease a Bike is a born pacemaker and, if there are pedals to churn, he's in his element. With him are Julien Bernard (Lidl-Trek), Louis Vervaeke (Soudal Quick-Step), Michael Leonard (Education First), Ben O'Connor (Jayco AlUla), Andrea Mifsud (Polti VisitMalta), Johannes Kulset (Uno-X), Maxime Decomble (Groupama-FDJ), Fausto Masnada (MBH Bank Csb Telecom Fort), Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious), Sylvain Moniquet (Cofidis), Gijs Leemreize (Picnic PostNL), George Bennett and Pau Martí (NSN). They're the ones who give meaning to the first part of this Lombardia. They're the ones who lay the foundation for a race that's then made of climbs.

Andrea MIFSUD. 6. The Maltese rider from Polti VisitMalta, with a past as an excellent footballer, takes center stage and shows himself to the world with a quality breakaway in his first Monument race.

Martin MARCELLUSI. 6. Ready, go: he's the rider from Lazio with Bardiani CSF 7 Saber who takes off like a rocket. Immediately caught.

THE RIDERS. 10. A delayed start, postponed by five minutes. Stationary in front of the advance of automobiles, firm in their convictions: coexistence between bikes and cars on the roads is not only desirable, but necessary. Stopped for a symbolic time, to remember those lives cut short that too often remain defenseless on the roads and in our consciences. At the microphone, Remco Evenepoel explained the reasons for the protest promoted by the CPA, the global riders' union: "We can no longer accept that someone dies in the caravan; we demand safe races and safe roads." Five minutes that are not just a symbol, but also the time needed to sign off on measures, projects, and structural solutions capable of improving light mobility and the practice of cycling. Today the WorldTour riders were truly the best: all together, for a common ideal. A gesture that brought us closer to them, and vice versa.