Bauke Mollema continued Trek-Segafredo's incredible late-season turnaround with victory at Il Lombardia on Saturday, collecting the rewards of a long career of hard work, aggressive racing, but little success.

Giulio Ciccone wore the yellow jersey for two days in the Tour de France, but Trek-Segafredo endured a sluggish 2019 season with just eight wins until Mads Pedersen took the rainbow jersey in Yorkshire. Now, Morema has given the U.S.-registered team one final monument to their season, teaching them that resilience and hard work ultimately pay off, especially in a sport as demanding as professional cycling. "We didn't do very well this season, especially in the classics, but in the last two weeks we have become world champions with Mads. To be World Champions with Mads in the last two weeks was the best thing that could have happened to us.

"For me personally, the last two kilometers were very special. I knew I was going to win and near the finish I saw some of the team going crazy on the side of the road. My parents are here too, so everything is special." Morema has been a professional since 2008, with stage wins at the 2017 Tour de France and the 2016 Clasica San Sebastian, as well as many other position changes due to the lack of fast sprint finishes. But he never lost heart or motivation. "This feels like a reward for my whole career," he said. I haven't won many races, but I've finished in the top 10 many times. This is my 11th Lombardia. Lombardy has always been my favorite. There are only three other Dutch winners, so it's nice to be on par with the big names from the past. I think today was my day. I have felt good in the last few weeks and in the recent races in Italy. I've been feeling good in the last few weeks and in the recent races in Italy. I've been training hard, and I've been training explosively for the one-day race. It paid off." Morema knew he needed to make his move before the final climb to set up a race to the riders who could beat him in the sprint finish. But you can't finish in the pack, and you can't wait for the final climb," he said. But we knew we couldn't finish in the pack and we couldn't wait for the last climb. Everyone was looking at each other and for me it was perfect." We have gaps, but we don't explode, and we just keep going. It was the same today, once I crossed the top of the Civiglio with a 20-second gap, everything was a blur, but I started to think I could win. I know this descent well and now it's just a time trial to the finish. All that was left was the final climb and the time trial to the finish." Mollema was part of the Dutch team that recently won the team time trial mixed relay at the UCI Road World Championships. While his rivals chased each other down and looked at each other, Mollema stayed strong until the end. He flattened out all the way to the finish, but he was in control of his own destiny. The final climb wasn't super hard, but it was at least 25 seconds," he said. I knew Roglic was getting close, but when I looked down at the hairpin I saw him in the distance. That was the moment I knew I could win at Lombardia."