Image 1 of 77 Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) wins Il Lombardia (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 2 of 77 Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) attacks (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 3 of 77 Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) and Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) were evenly matched (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 4 of 77 Contador and Nibali try and shake off Gilbert (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 5 of 77 Andriy Grivko (Astana) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 6 of 77 Nibali can only watch on as Rodriguez ups the pace (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 7 of 77 Alberto Contador (Team Saxo Bank / Tinkoff Bank) leads the favourites (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 8 of 77 Daniel Martin and Ivan Basso (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 9 of 77 Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 10 of 77 Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) just before his race winning attack (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 11 of 77 Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) on the way to winning the Tour of Lombardy (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 12 of 77 (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 13 of 77 Alexandr Kolobnev (Katusha) and Gor Verdugo (Euskaltel - Euskadi) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 14 of 77 Alessandro Ballan (BMC) crashed and then quit the race (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 15 of 77 Luca Paolini (Katusha) crashed out with several others (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 16 of 77 Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 17 of 77 Luca Paolini (Katusha) crashed out with several others (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 18 of 77 Kevin De Weert (Omega Pharma Quick Step) on the move (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 19 of 77 Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 20 of 77 Alexandr Kolobnev helped to set up Rodriguez (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 21 of 77 Damiano Cunego (Lampre - ISD) couldn't cope with the attacks on the final climb (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 22 of 77 Alexandr Kolobnev (Katusha) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 23 of 77 Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing Team) quits the race after a crash (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 24 of 77 Fabio Felline (Androni Giocattoli) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 25 of 77 Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) solo attack on the final climb of the Tour of Lombardy (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 26 of 77 Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) ran out of teammates in the second half of the race (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 27 of 77 Damiano Cunego (Lampre - ISD) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 28 of 77 Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 29 of 77 Ivan Basso (Liquigas) on the front for Nibalia (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 30 of 77 Italian national champion Franco Pellizotti (Androni Giocattoli) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 31 of 77 Rigoberto Uran Uran (Sky Procycling) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 32 of 77 Fabian Wegmann works for Daniel Martin and Ryder Hesjedal (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 33 of 77 The field during the 2012 Tour of Lombardy (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 34 of 77 Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 35 of 77 Giro d'Italia winner Ryder Hesjedal (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 36 of 77 Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing Team) is checked over by (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 37 of 77 Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Sharp) and Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing Team) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 38 of 77 Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing Team) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 39 of 77 Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) dropped his rivals inside the final 15 km of the race (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 40 of 77 Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 41 of 77 Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) wins Il Lombardia (Image credit: RCS Sport) Image 42 of 77 Racers on the Muro di Sormano in wet conditions (Image credit: RCS Sport) Image 43 of 77 The podium at Il Lombardia, topped by Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) (Image credit: RCS Sport) Image 44 of 77 Rui Costa attacked but couldn't stay away (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 45 of 77 Vincenzo NIbali (Liquigas-Cannondale) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 46 of 77 Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing Team) in his new rainbow jersey (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 47 of 77 Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) wins the 2012 Tour of Lombardy (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 48 of 77 Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) held off a dangerous chase group to win the Italian classic (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 49 of 77 Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) wins the Tour of Lombardy (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 50 of 77 Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) was too good for his rivals on the final climb (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 51 of 77 Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) tastes victory at the Tour of Lombardy (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 52 of 77 Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 53 of 77 Sanchez, Rodriguez and Uran on the podium (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 54 of 77 Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) on the podium (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 55 of 77 Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 56 of 77 The 2012 World champion during the Tour of Lombardy (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 57 of 77 Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing Team) before crashing out of the race (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 58 of 77 Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing Team) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 59 of 77 Alessandro Ballan (BMC) crashed out of the race (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 60 of 77 Luca Paolini (Katusha) after crashing out (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 61 of 77 Rudi Altig and Felice Gimondi (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 62 of 77 Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) went onto finish second after a strong display (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 63 of 77 Michele Acquarone and Felice Gimondi (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 64 of 77 Philippe Gilbert (BMC) waves to the crowd at the start of the race (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 65 of 77 Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) was without teammates in the final half of the race (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 66 of 77 Mauro Santambrogio (BMC Racing Team) leads Rigoberto Uran (Sky Procycling) (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 67 of 77 The Italian fans came out on the Colma di Sormano (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 68 of 77 Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing Team) climbs the Colma di Sormano (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 69 of 77 Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing Team) on the Colma di Sormano (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 70 of 77 Franco Pellizotti on the Colma di Sormano (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 71 of 77 Ivan Basso (Liquigas) grits his teeth (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 72 of 77 Ivan Basso (Liquigas) grits his teeth (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 73 of 77 Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) leads Il Lombardia (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 74 of 77 Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) on his way to victory (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 75 of 77 Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) triumphs on a wet day (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 76 of 77 Il Lombardia winner Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 77 of 77 Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) pedals through the rain to victory (Image credit: Sirotti)

Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) soloed to victory in the pouring rain to become the first Spaniard to win the Giro di Lombardia. He escaped on the day's final climb of the Salite di Ello - Villa Vergano, and was able to stay away from a strong chase group. Second place went to Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi), with Sky's Rigoberto Uran taking third.

"This is the most important triumph of my whole career," said Rodriguez. "This for me was a perfect season: I won Fleche-Wallonne, and I took the second in the Giro d'Italia and third place in the Vuelta a Espana. After that I did my best to get ready for the world championships and Giro di Lombardia. In the former, my performance was so-so, but in the latter, it was a triumph.

"I was fighting for a double goal today, to win this prestigious competition and to take the lead in the UCI World Tour Ranking, and I managed both. So I'm really happy."

The weather played a major role in the race with heavy downpours creating havoc on a number of descents. Newly crowned world champion Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing Team) was among a string of riders to crash and subsequently quit the race.

For Rodirguez, the win was the perfect tonic for a season memorable as much for the races he's won as the ones that he has let slip through his fingers. At 33, Rodriguez, who let winning positions in the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espana get away, is at the peak of his powers and despite a quiet showing at the Worlds, he ends this season not just with victories in Lombardi and La Flèche Wallonne but also with the world number one slot in the UCI's ranking.

Rodriguez laid the foundations for his win on the Colma di Sormano. With a group of 11 riders already up the road, the climb was the first major test for the peloton inside the final 100 kilometres.

Before that point, wind and rain had decimated the field, with less than 60 riders still in contention by the time they reached the Sormano.

Romain Bardet (AG2R), Emanuele Sella (Androni), Steve Morabito (BMC), Stefano Locatelli (Colnago), Johan Esteban Chaves (Colombia), Alberto Losada (Katusha), Cristiano Salerno (Liquigas), Tom Jelte Slagter (Rabobank), Nicki Sörensen (Saxobank) and Federico Rocchetti (Utensilnord Named) made up the early break but by Colma di Sormano, only Bardet and Losada were in contention.

In the bunch, Vinenzo Nibali, Alberto Contador and Rodriguez took turns in testing each other with stinging accelerations. Gilbert, was the major casualty, slipping from the lead group, with Dan Martin also struggling.

Losada, who had initially followed Bardet, sat up and waited for the main contenders at the top of the climb. On the descent, Gilbert, Ballan and Paolini were among those who crashed. The world champion quick to seek refuge in the BMC team car once he was on his feet.

Despite the severity of the climb, and the damage done by Rodriguez and Contador, there was a general regrouping on the descent. Bardet used the opportunity to more than double his 25-second advantage, as the peloton waited for the Ghisallo.

Losada had turned from Bardet's companion to his hunter, sitting on the front of the bunch as they reached the lower slopes of the climb. A brief counter attack led by Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Sharp) briefly threatened Losada's task but with less than 50 kilometres to go, it was Kevin De Weert (Omega Pharma Quick Step) who established any form of a significant gap, catching and passing Badret to put an end to the Frenchman's brave attack.

De Weert's efforts allowed Dario Cataldo an easier ride in the bunch but when the Belgian tumbled on the descent of the Ghisallo the race reverted to type as Losada continued to keep pace.

Nibali, Paolo Tiralongo and Laurens ten Dam also crashed but managed to regain contact just as Rui Costa attacked with a shade over 25 kilometres remaining. When Losada finally ran out of gas, Sky and Lampre chased as the final climb and its 15 percent slopes beckoned.

With Rui Costa contained, Katusha again went on the offensive with Alexandr Kolobnev creating a launch pad for Rodriguez's attack.

"Today I was feeling in great shape. In fact, I made my teammates work during all the crucial moments of the race. When I saw that all my rivals were tired and I felt so great, I realized I had a great chance to win," said Rodriguez. "The Villa Vergano uphill suited me a lot."

"I managed to make the difference, to tell the truth I thought that somebody would join me in that attack, but instead nobody could answer and that makes this victory even greater," the eventual winner said. "I think I was one of the favorite riders since the beginning."

By the start of the descent, Rodriuez had a mere seven seconds on Contador. Uran and Henao organised their chase. But on the treacherously wet roads to the finish, Rodriguez was able to gain time as the fractious chasers struggled to gain momentum.

Inside the final bend, Rodriguez had time to celebrate, capping a season in which he has mirrored the level of Bradley Wiggins' consistency in a parallel race programme.

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