Cycling news - Primoz Roglic in pole position for Il Lombardia after winning Tre Valli Varesine

The 198-kilometre race from Saronno to Varese, which Thibaut Pinot used as his preparation for the final Monument of the season to great effect as he finished second on Tuesday and then first on Saturday, culminated in a sprint finish that Roglic won at a canter.

However, it could have been a very different story had one of the race motorcycles not misled part of the leading group with Vicenzo Nibali one of those who missed out on challenging because of the error.

It allowed Roglic to break from the leaders early and surprise the field to claim his second semi-classic in four days, having won the Giro dell'Emilia last Saturday.

With no Pinot lining up on Bergamo on Saturday to defend his title due to injury, Roglic will be among the favourites to pick up his sixth title of the season.

Nibali, who would surely have been a threat had he not suffered the motorcycle mishap, finished second in Como last year and triumphed in 2017, meaning he is not likely to be far off the pace.

Jakob Fulsgang will lead the Astana challenge, hoping to add to his Liege-Bastogne-Liege victory, while Team Ineos will be led by Egan Bernal and feature Tao Geoghegan Hart, who finished eighth in the Tre Valli Varesine.