91st Giro di Lombardia 1997 (Italy)

Blazing Speeds

The 91st edition of the prestigious Giro di Lombardia was final World Cup race of the 1997. A very closely contested series indicated thet there were six riders within reach of the overall win. The WC leader was Danish rider Rolf Sorensen with 275 points, followed by:

With the “Race of the Falling Leaves” offering 100 points for the victory, all the contenders had a chance of winning. Unfortunately WC leader Rolf Sorensen was present in street clothes for the race because of an earlier crash and a season ending fractured hand. The race was wide open.

Through the tough early climbs of the Colle Brianza and Colle Valpiana the contenders let several early breakaways escape, they seemed intent on watching each other very closely.

When the final peloton hit the final climb, Michele Bartoli attentively latched onto a Laurent Jalabert attack on the Colle Gallo with 30 kms to go. Italians Paolo Lanfranchi and Francesco Casagrande also caught the pair on the descent into Bergamo. The 4 riders quickly gain a minute on the fading peloton. 

Laurent Jalabert!!!

A very fit Laurent Jalabert, winner of Milan-Turin four days earlier, won a three-up sprint (*see the SPECIAL NOTE below) in Bergamo for the 1997 Giro di Lombardia victory. 

The Giro di Lombardia again this year used the new race route between Varese and Bergamo. Since instituted in 1995 the race's average speed has increase yearly.

SPECIAL NOTE: At the finish Michele Bartoli sat up and let the other three riders contest the sprint. He was secure with his fourth place points and a season long win of the 1997 World Cup.

Final 1997 World Cup Standings

Michele Bartoli (Ita) 280 points

Rolf Sorensen (Den) 275 points

Andrea Tafi (Ita) 240 points

Davide Rebellin (Ita) 238 points

Laurent Jalabert (Fra) 214 points

Andrei Tchmil (Ukr) 212 points

Maximilian Sciandri (Ita) 192 points

Lomb 1996

Lomb 1998

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