Il Lombardia brings the men’s Monument season to a close on Saturday 10 October 2026, with the 120th edition running 239km from Bergamo to Como. For UK viewers, the race sits neatly in an autumn Saturday afternoon slot: the official start is at 10:45 local time and the finish is expected between 16:40 and 17:20 in Italy, which is one hour ahead of Britain during British Summer Time.
The UK cycling broadcast setup is different from previous seasons. HBO Max is now the streaming home of TNT Sports in the UK, replacing Discovery+ for TNT Sports streaming. That is the key change for anyone returning to Il Lombardia after watching previous editions through the old Discovery+ arrangement.
The race itself has also changed substantially for 2026. It returns from Bergamo to Como with nine climbs and around 4,600 metres of elevation gain, finishing with a demanding 22km circuit that includes Civiglio and two ascents of San Fermo della Battaglia. Our Il Lombardia 2026 route guide covers the course in detail.
How to watch Il Lombardia 2026 in the UK
TNT Sports remains the main UK television home for top-level road cycling, while HBO Max is now its streaming platform. HBO Max launched in the UK and Ireland in March 2026 and carries the full range of TNT Sports content for subscribers with the appropriate sports access.
For Il Lombardia, check the TNT Sports television schedule and the cycling section within HBO Max as race day approaches. Exact channel allocation and the final live broadcast start time can be confirmed closer to 10 October, particularly because TNT Sports has several linear channels and can move events between them according to the wider live-sport schedule.
The important point for existing cycling subscribers is that Discovery+ should no longer be treated as the destination for TNT Sports streaming in Britain. HBO Max is the service to check in 2026. TNT Sports also continues to be distributed through its existing UK television partners, so viewers who receive the channels through a pay-TV package can continue to watch that way.
What time does Il Lombardia 2026 start?
The official race schedule has rider sign-on in Bergamo from 09:00 to 10:30 local time, followed by the official start at 10:45. Italy is one hour ahead of the UK on 10 October, so the race begins at 09:45 BST.
The organisers expect the winner in Como between 16:40 and 17:20 local time. That translates to roughly 15:40 to 16:20 BST. The exact finish naturally depends on the speed of the race, but UK viewers can plan around a mid-afternoon finale rather than an early-morning start or evening finish.
Live television coverage does not necessarily begin with the official start. The broadcast window normally concentrates on the decisive later part of the race, so check the confirmed TNT Sports or HBO Max listing before race day if you want to watch from the moment pictures become available. The route is hard enough that there should already be a reduced and tired peloton well before the final Como circuit.
Why the 2026 route matters for viewers
This is a 239km Monument with approximately 4,600 metres of climbing, and the organisers have packed nine climbs into the route. The opening sequence around Bergamo includes Colle dei Pasta, Selvino, Colle di Berbenno and Valpiana before the race moves through upper Brianza and towards Lake Como.
The Ghisallo remains one of the central landmarks. It begins from Bellagio and reaches gradients of up to 14 per cent, but in 2026 it is not simply the final famous climb before a straightforward run to Como. The riders enter a 22km finishing circuit after reaching the city, changing how aggressively teams can afford to race the earlier ascent.
San Fermo della Battaglia is climbed once before the riders cross the finish line for the first time. Around a kilometre later they begin Civiglio, where the gradient sits around 10 per cent for long stretches. After descending back into Como, San Fermo is tackled again, with the summit roughly five kilometres from the finish. The final descent and flat kilometre into Como leave very little room to recover from a gap opened on the climb.
That structure makes the final hour particularly important. Viewers who cannot watch the whole broadcast should prioritise the approach to Como and the finishing circuit, although the accumulated climbing before Ghisallo can shape which riders still have the legs to attack there. The beginner’s guide to Il Lombardia 2026 explains the race’s place among the five Monuments and the type of racing it normally produces.
Watching live, on replay and avoiding spoilers
Unlike the Tour of Guangxi and other Asian races, Il Lombardia falls into an easy UK viewing window. The expected finish before 16:30 BST means most viewers can watch the decisive final hours live without rearranging an evening. It also makes the race straightforward to combine with other weekend sport if you know approximately when the television coverage begins.
HBO Max is useful if you prefer streaming or need to catch up rather than watch through a linear TNT Sports channel. Availability of replays and the way an event is presented in the app can vary, so it is sensible to add the race to your watchlist or locate the event page before the start rather than searching once the finale is already under way.
If you are watching later, cycling news sites and social feeds are the obvious spoiler risk. Il Lombardia is one of the biggest one-day results of the season and the winner will be reported immediately. Opening the replay directly is safer than browsing through a sports homepage first.
Il Lombardia’s place in the cycling season
Il Lombardia is the fifth and final Monument of the men’s road season. Its October position gives it a different rhythm from Milan-San Remo, the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Riders arrive after the Grand Tours and World Championships, with form shaped by a long season rather than a spring campaign built specifically around the Classics.
The race has been held since 1905 and the 2026 edition is its 120th running. Its identity is tied to the steep roads around the Lombardy lakes, particularly the Madonna del Ghisallo, but the exact start, finish and sequence of late climbs have changed repeatedly. That flexibility is part of the race rather than an exception to it.
For more background, our history of Il Lombardia follows the race through its major eras and winners. For 2026 viewing, though, the immediate details are simple: Saturday 10 October, a Bergamo-to-Como route, an expected UK finish between roughly 15:40 and 16:20 BST, and TNT Sports/HBO Max as the services to check for live coverage.
