‘I’ve never had such a good Lombardia’ - Jorgenson eyes breakthrough after impressive Worlds and Italian Classics form

Matteo Jorgenson heads into Il Lombardia with something he has rarely experienced at this stage of the season: fresh legs, motivation and genuine confidence that he can challenge for a major result.

The American has enjoyed an impressive autumn, finishing eighth at the World Championships in Montréal before coming close to victory at Tre Valli Varesine, where he took third behind Jarno Widar and Tom Pidcock in a three-man sprint.

Asked ahead of Il Lombardia whether he had worked on his sprinting since that defeat, Jorgenson laughed off the suggestion.

"No, no, no. Still not on top of my sprinting game yet, but hopefully tomorrow I can ride into it," he joked speaking to CyclingProNet.

Behind the lighthearted response, however, was a notably optimistic assessment of his chances in Saturday's race.

"I've never had such a good Lombardia," Jorgenson admitted. "I've always been quite cooked and not motivated at the end of the season, but this year is feeling a bit different. And so I'm hopeful that it can go better."

Jorgenson's impressive autumn began at the World Championships in Montréal, where he was part of a powerful American team that delivered a historic rainbow jersey for Brandon McNulty.

While McNulty ultimately claimed victory with a solo attack 33 kilometres from the finish, Jorgenson played an important tactical role behind his compatriot, helping disrupt the chase before crossing the line in eighth place himself.

He carried that form into the Italian Classics, contributing to Davide Piganzoli's victory at the Giro dell'Emilia before getting his own opportunity at Tre Valli Varesine.

Although he had to settle for third, it was another demonstration that his condition has remained strong deep into October.

And with Il Lombardia offering a considerably harder finish than Tre Valli Varesine, Jorgenson believes the course could work in his favour.

"I think arriving in Como is a bit nicer, and I think finishing on San Fermo is better suited to me," he explained.

"It's just a matter of getting there first."

The 239 kilometre route from Bergamo to Como offers plenty of opportunities for an aggressive race, with the Madonna del Ghisallo and the climbs closer to Como expected to play important roles in deciding the winner.

For Jorgenson, the prospect of an early selection is an attractive one.

"I think it would be nice if the race opened up early for me," he said when asked whether he would prefer attacks from the Madonna del Ghisallo or a more controlled battle on the final climbs.

"But yeah, I think we'll just have to see either option. There's a lot of things that can happen between here and Como."