Paul Seixas, 20, becomes Il Lombardia’s youngest winner

France’s Paul Seixas became the youngest winner in Il Lombardia’s history with a solo ride into Como, Italy, at 20 years and 16 days old. It was his first victory in a Monument, one of cycling’s five most prestigious one-day races, and made him the youngest Monument winner since 1944.

The Decathlon CMA CGM rider accelerated on the steep Civiglio climb with 19 kilometres remaining, then left his last challengers behind. Riding the final 18 kilometres alone, he finished 48 seconds ahead of Spain’s Enric Mas, with Italy’s Giulio Ciccone third. Five-time defending champion Tadej Pogacar was absent after a crash at the Vuelta a España.

The win came two weeks after Seixas finished a disappointing 15th in the world championship road race. He said he had moved on and trained hard, and credited his teammates for doing more than their share. It capped a season that also included fourth place in his first Tour de France.

Before the race, competitors had stood together for a different reason. Riders delayed the start by five minutes to protest recent incidents involving race vehicles, including the collision that killed British cyclist Finlay Tarling in August. Remco Evenepoel spoke for the group, calling attention to the risks riders face.