Il Lombardia 2023 LIVE - The final Monument of the season starring Remco Evenepoel, Tadej Pogacar and Primoz Roglic

143KM TO GO: CLIMBING ALREADY

The second serious ascent of the day sees riders from the break out of the saddle as they tackle the lower slopes of the Roncola. It's 7.5km long and averages 7.3%, with the steepest kilometre coming towards the summit, where it tops out at 9.3%. We last saw this climb on stage 17 of the Giro d'Italia, at the start of the summer.

153KM TO GO: COULD BEN HEALY BE IN WITH A SHOT TODAY?

Having assumed Honore was working primarily for EF's Ecuadorian Olympic champion, I omitted to consider their up-and-coming Irish star. Healy, who won a stage of the Giro, and came second in Amstel Gold, is certainly a card that team could play. Expect the green and white to be near the front of affairs come the business end.

The 313km river is Italy's fourth longest, apparently. It's certainly very scenic. With little going on in the race, and lots of grand sweeping shots from above, this could be called the tourist board section of the race.

The peloton can practically caress the lake with their left hand, as the riders coast along through the charming Como town of Malgrate. Not where George Clooney has his villa, which is in Laglio. Still Honore on the front, and still four minutes the gap.

A little earlier than you might expect EF to add to the break management effort, but presumably Richard Carapaz fancies a piece of this race. He wouldn't be the first South American to win Lombardia - that being his team-mate Esteban Chaves, who is probably not a true contender today. They're now on the flattest part of the course.

So we have the answer to our earlier question. The lead had grown to four minutes but is now nearer three. They clearly want to make the race hard.

In glorious sunshine, they sweep back down the pristine turns towards Belago.

As they hit the Madonna, word reaches them that a bit more firepower is coming, and there's no longer any threat from the peloton, so the more the merrier. Finally we have a group of sixteen in the escape, with a lead of around four minutes.

Now who's going to take charge in the peloton?

Blood is dripping down from his elbow, and that won't help him any, so he's going to get it dressed.

205KM TO GO: THE TEN RIDERS IN FULL

I had been intending to wait for the six chasers to come across, but it's taking too long and looking ever less likely that it will happen at all, so here they are:

Nicolas Prudhomme (AG2R Citroen)
Samuele Battistella (Astana)
Nicolò Buratti (Bahrain Victorious)
Simon Geschke (Cofidis)
Mattia Bais Eolo Kometa)
Asbjørn Hellemose (Lidl-Trek)
Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Dstny)
Kamil Malecki (Q36.5)
Paul Ourselin (Total Energies)
Jacob Erikssson (Tudor Pro Cycling)

That incident seems to have put an end to the early excitement. While we were watching elsewhere, Tolio and Swift were joined by four others, who are about a minute off the front of the race. It's doable for them, but it won't be easy.

And although he's bloodied, from the left arm, he looks to be riding quite comfortably. He's on a new bike which surprisingly has some sort of mechanical already, requiring him to hang on to the team car. Funny that.

And some serious names are involved, as we cut to an overhead shot of the aftermath of the incident which occurred slap bang in the middle of the bunch. Remco Evenepoel is hobbling, as he's helped to his feet by Davide Bramati. Alaphilippe waits, then leaves the scene. Jai Hindley (Bora Hansgrohe) is another rider involved, also Sam Oomen (Jumbo Visma), Giovanni Aleotti (Bora Hansgrohe) and Sjoerd Bax (UAE Emirates).

Alex Tolio, far from a threat, is looking to bridge what is now a chonk of a minute's gap. That provokes a few more riders, mainly those of Alpecin-Deceuninck, and Ben Swift of Ineos, to start the engines up again.

It seems the Italian's presence rather ruined it for the rest. As a barrage is introduced at the front of the bunch by the big teams. The ten riders at the front have seen their lead reduced to 30 seconds, but it should be allowed to grow again - unless someone or someones are able to break out.

What on earth is going on with this race? 15km in and we still have no idea as to how it's going to unfold.

He heads straight on when he should turn right at the roundabout. That's not going to aid his efforts to get across, or those of his brothers in arms. Fortunately for Ineos Filippo Ganna has broken out of the bunch, catches up with the smaller group of chasers and is looking to help them across to the front of the race. Turner retreats with his tail between his legs.

But it's a fractious break so far, as a few rides let wheels go, refuse to cooperate with others. Thomas De Gendt will tell you when he's unhappy, as will Simon Geschke. Could it yet all fall apart? There's about 30 seconds from the front of the race to the peloton. We'll tell you who they are in a moment, but this is the most lively a start we've seen in this race in years.