Saturday's Il Lombardia will be raced with limited roadside spectators as local authorities have banned spectators from gathering at the finish line in Como and the important climbs of Colle del Ghisallo and Muro di Solmano.

According to a report in the local newspaper Corriere di Como, the local prefecture has made the finish area "off limits" to prevent crowds from gathering to watch the finish and the podium ceremony. Also, a large screen showing the race will not be set up.

The important climbs at the final 60 km of the race, Colle del Ghisallo and Muro di Sormano, were also blocked off, with police preventing large crowds from gathering on the climbs.

The crowd restrictions are due to the COVID-19 pandemic that hit Italy's Lombardy region particularly hard. After Lombardy became one of the first areas hit by the COVID 1-9 virus, nearly 100,000 people were confirmed infected and 16,000 died. Il Lombardia will observe a few minutes of silence before Saturday's start in Bergamo to remember the victims of the pandemic.

For similar reasons, next week's VOO-Tour de Wallonie will not reveal the stages of the race to discourage spectators, and organizers are encouraging the public to watch the race on television.

Il Lombardia originally took place during the first week of October and traditionally closed the major European race calendar, but this year it was moved to August 15 as part of a major event schedule change due to the coronavirus pandemic. The day is Ferragosto, an Italian national holiday, and Como is expected to be crowded with tourists.

Organizer RCS Sport announced changes to the course earlier this week. It has been shortened by 12 km from the route, from 243 km to 231 km, making it the shortest since 1960.

The change does not affect select features of the course, including the iconic climb to Madonna del Ghisallo, the steep Muro di Solmano, and the last 20 km of the Civiglio and San Fermo della Battaglia climbs. The race finishes on the Como waterfront and runs 5 km from the final climb.

Remco Evenpole (Desseuninck-Quick Step) won the Tour de Pollogne overall, his fourth win of the season.

Mathieu Van der Poel, whose Alpecin Phoenix team has been invited to the RCS Sport one-day race, will also be on the start line for the first time. Last year's winner Bauke Mollema and his Trek Segafredo teammate and two-time Il Lombardia winner Vincenzo Nibali will return.

Cycling News will provide complete live coverage of the race.