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Dylan Teuns (BMC Racing) wins the sprint for third place (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
New world champion Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) had a difficult race (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Thibaut Pinot opens the spumante on the Il Lombardia podium (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Respect between rivals: Vincenzo Nibali congratulates Thibaut Pinot (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The 2018 Il Lombardia podium (l-r): Vincenzo Nibali, Thibaut Pinot and Dylan Teuns (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Before the start Felice Gimondi posed for photographs with Alejandro Valverde (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The view across the Muro di Sormano (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The moment Il Lombardia was won: Nibali and Pinot go on the attack (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Nibali and Pinot distanced Primoz Roglic and never looked back (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) pass the Madonna del Ghisallo chapel (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The stunning view across Lake Como (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
It was a warm and dry edition of Il Lombardia (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Thibaut Pinot solos to victory at Il Lombardia (Image credit: Getty Images)
The Wolfpack is ready to rock Il Lombardia as Quick-Step's Pieter Serry rides to the start in Bergamo. (Image credit: Getty Images)
Everything is A-OK so far for Thibaut Pinot at Il Lombardia (Image credit: Getty Images)
Vincenzo Nibali gets ready to defend his title at Il Lombardia (Image credit: Getty Images)
James Shaw of Great Britain and Team Lotto Soudal hit the deck during Il Lombardia (Image credit: Getty Images)
Lake Como provided the backdrop for Il Lombardia (Image credit: Getty Images)
Scenery along the route of Il Lombardoa (Image credit: Getty Images)
Primoz Roglic launches an attack in Il Lombardia (Image credit: Getty Images)
Thibaut Pinto checks for chasers as Vincenzo Nibali drives the pace near the end of Il Lombardia (Image credit: Getty Images)
Egan bernal rode to 12th at Il Lombardia (Image credit: Getty Images)
Thibaut Pinot sprays the victor's champagne at Il Lombardia (Image credit: Getty Images)
Thibaut Pinot celebrates his solo win at Il Lombardia (Image credit: Getty Images)
Thibaut Pinot rides alone to the finish of Il Lombardia (Image credit: Getty Images)
Big crowds gathered on the climbs of the Italian Monument (Image credit: Getty Images)
Alejandro Valverde in his new rainbow jersey (Image credit: Getty Images)
The Il Lombardia peloton in action during the early stages of the race (Image credit: Getty Images)
Team Sky's Sergio Henao (Image credit: Getty Images)
The peloton is lined out during Il Lombardia (Image credit: Getty Images)
The peloton in and amongst the crowd iduring Il Lombardia (Image credit: Getty Images)
Riders are ready for the start of the 2018 Il Lombardia (Image credit: Getty Images)
Alejando Valverde is front and center in his rainbow jersey before the start of Il Lombardia (Image credit: Getty Images)
EF Education First-Drapac riders line up to sign in for Il Lombardia (Image credit: Getty Images)
Egan Bernal bides his time in the Team Sky line up during Il Lombardia (Image credit: Getty Images)
Alejandro Valverde finished 11th in Il Lombardia (Image credit: Getty Images)
Lake Como served as backdrop for Il Lombardia (Image credit: Getty Images)
Vincenzo Nibali and Primoz Roglic on the attack during Il Lombardia (Image credit: Getty Images)
Thibaut Pinot holds the Il Lombardia trophy aloft (Image credit: Getty Images)
Vincenzo Nibali, Thibaut Pinot and Dylan Teuns on the Il Lombardia podium (Image credit: Getty Images)
Thibaut Pinot solos to victory at the 2018 Il Lombardia (Image credit: Getty Images)
Gianni Savio with Androni rider Mattia Cattaneo (Image credit: Getty Images)
Dan Martin shows the train of his ninth-place finish at Il Lombardia (Image credit: Getty Images)
Confetti floats past Thibaut Pinot on the Il Lombardia podium (Image credit: Getty Images)
The Il Lombardia peloton leaves the start in Bergamo (Image credit: Getty Images)
The peloton makes its way past some of the race's namesake leaves (Image credit: Getty Images)
Il Lombardia has brought down the curtain on the long 2018 European season, with Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ ) riding into the history books with panache on Saturday.
The Frenchman jumped away from defending champion Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) at the top of the Civiglio climb with 14km remaining and soloed to a career-defining victory.
He won alone in Como with a 32-second gap on Nibali to take his first-ever Monument, while Dylan Teuns (BMC Racing) took the sprint from a select chasing group 43 seconds behind Pinot to claim the final podium spot.
The 112th running of the Italian Classic once again took place with Lake Como as the backdrop, providing stunning scenery for the spectators to enjoy as the riders battled over 241km.The race started in Bergamo under sunny skies and concluded nearly six hours later as the autumn leaves fell and the sun set in Como, making for a spectacular finale to the 2018 Classics.
Click or swipe through the gallery above for a glimpse of the day's racing.
