Even if Tadej Pogačar didn't have the current World Champion's jersey on his back at Il Lombardia's startline on Saturday morning, there could be no doubt who is the standout favourite for this year's edition of the Race of the Falling Leaves.
It's not just that in every race the Slovenian has started this season barring - perhaps - Milan-San Remo, Pogačar has automatically, and deservedly, enjoyed the status of top contender. Nor yet that after his latest major exploit in the World Championships, his stunning victory in the Giro dell'Emilia shows a startlingly impressive consistency of form. Yet another factor in the 26-year-old's favour in the final Monument of 2024 is that we are also talking about the winner of the last three editions of Il Lombardia.
Yet tempting as it may be to see this year's 119th Il Lombardia as a foregone conclusion or one-horse race, in reality Il Lombardia retains plenty of potential to throw up surprises and ambushes. For one thing, after their categorical defeat at the Worlds, rivals of the calibre of Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) will surely be itching to get a chance to give the new rainbow jersey a run for their money. Secondly, the 4,800 metres of vertical climbing on Lombardia's 252-kilometre course and increasingly unpredictable autumn weather in northern Europe - the torrential rains that forced the cancellation of Tre Valli Varesine being the most recent example - push the dial back towards a more open race. Thirdly, given Pogačar's superiority, riders are increasingly realising that racing conservatively is not an option. If you want to win, you have to try to beat him at his own game.
Last but not least, for all the likelihood of Pogačar rounding off his year just as he began it in Italy at Strade Bianche eight months ago - with a spectacular win - is high, at Il Lombardia Pogačar is facing his biggest test of strength to date as the newly crowned rainbow jersey.
With all these factors in mind, Cyclingnews casts a glance over some of the top riders to watch on Saturday.
