Michael Storer achieved a significant milestone in his cycling career by securing third place at the prestigious Il Lombardia on Saturday, October 7, 2023. This result marks Storer’s first podium finish in a Monument race, coming in behind renowned competitors Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Remco Evenepoel from Soudal-QuickStep.
Racing for Tudor Pro Cycling, a team managed by retired professional cyclist Fabian Cancellara, Storer expressed his gratitude for the unexpected achievement. “I’m super grateful for everything. The team will be super happy,” he remarked, anticipating a flurry of messages on his phone after the race. Cancellara, who participated in the reconnaissance for the race, motivated the team despite not competing himself.
As the race unfolded, a select group formed on the lower slopes of the final climb, the Passo di Ganda. This group included Storer, Pogacar, and teammates Jay Vine and Isaac del Toro, as well as Evenepoel and Paul Seixas from Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale.
Pogacar surged ahead with a powerful attack halfway up the climb, creating a nearly one-minute lead with 36 kilometers remaining. Storer and his fellow riders struggled to keep pace as they settled into a chase. Evenepoel eventually distanced himself from both Seixas and Del Toro, while Storer clung on, unable to match the speed of the leaders.
Reflecting on the challenge of keeping up with Evenepoel, Storer noted, “The problem was that Remco is super aero, and just sprinting out of the corners. Every time out of the switchbacks, I was on his wheel; the problem was that it was just burning my legs every sprint.” He added that his effort to stay with Evenepoel on the descents took a toll, leaving him fatigued as the race progressed.
Despite facing challenges on the final ascent of the Colle Aperto, Storer was pleased to finish third, crossing the line 3:14 behind Pogacar in Bergamo. “I was just in a world of pain on that last climb. I haven’t gone that deep many times in my life before,” he admitted, calling the podium finish an unexpected highlight of his season.
Earlier in the year, Storer had already made a name for himself, winning a stage and finishing fifth overall at Paris-Nice, securing both a stage win and the overall title at the Tour of the Alps, and placing tenth overall at the Giro d’Italia. He also claimed a stage podium at the Tour de France and recently triumphed in the Memorial Marco Pantani.
Storer concluded, “It’s the highlight I wasn’t expecting to come at the very end. I feel like there have been a lot of highlights this year. As I said before, I can be proud of my season, proud of today, and proud of my team.” This landmark achievement at Il Lombardia solidifies Michael Storer’s position as an emerging talent in the world of professional cycling.
