PARIS - As the elite cycling season ends with one of its 'monuments', Il Lombardia, on Saturday, the race will also bring down the curtain on the careers of two of the peloton's own monuments.

Alejandro Valverde, a 42-year-old Spaniard, and Vincenzo Nibali, a 37-year-old Italian, had seemed eternal, but both are riding into the sunset by Lake Como in the 'Race of the falling leaves'.

Both riders have had careers filled with golden victories, but Valverde also strayed into the darker side of the sport.

The Spaniard, who started racing at the elite level in 2005, has collected far more victories and the nickname 'El Bala', the bullet, over his 17 seasons.

He has 133 to the 52 by Sicilian Nibali, who is nicknamed 'The Shark of Messina'.

Valverde won one Grand Tour, the Vuelta a Espana in 2009, but has shone more often in one-day races, collecting a world title at 38 in 2018 and four Liege-Bastogne-Liege and five Fleche Wallonne victories.

Nibali, who turned professional a year later, has won all three Grand Tours: the Giro d'Italia in 2013 and 2016, the Tour de France in 2014 and the Vuelta in 2010.

He also won both Italian monuments: Milan-San Remo and the Il Lombardia twice, in 2015 and 2017.

"It is a great honour to finish my career in one of my favourite races," he said.

While Nibali has avoided doping scandals, Valverde became enmeshed in the Spanish 'Operacion Puerto' investigation. His initial suspension was overturned by the Court for Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in 2007, but in 2009 he was suspended in Italy and in May 2010 the CAS upheld an appeal from World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) and banned him for that season and the next.

His longevity has turned him from an outcast into a revered elder. The pair were greeted with a guard of honour by the peloton at the Vuelta.

Neither is treating Il Lombardia as a farewell tour.

'I am one of the favourites'

In the Tre Valli Varesine, also in Lombardy, on Tuesday, Nibali attacked in the final 3.5km. He was caught as two-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar won but said his form was a "good sign for Il Lombardia".

Valverde finished that race in third place to follow his second place in the Coppa Agostoni last Thursday and his fourth on Saturday in the Giro d'Emilia.

He has unfinished business in Il Lombardia where he has come second three times.

"I'm very happy with my recent races. I think I am one of the favourites for the Il Lombardia. In any case, I'm going there to try to win. I like the route," said the Spaniard.

He said he plans to continue to "enjoy cycling in another way", with rides with friends and in criteriums. Both he and Nibali will be in Singapore for the Oct 29-30 Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium.

While Valverde and Nibali are bowing out in a classic, Philippe Gilbert is making Paris-Tours on Sunday his last race. "It was important for me to finish there because that's where I got my first big win in 2008," said the 40-year-old Belgian.

Like Valverde, Gilbert accumulated victories in big one-day racing long after he had passed 30. He won four of the five Monuments: Il Lombardia in 2019 and 2010, Liege-Bastogne-Liege in 2011, the Tour of Flanders in 2017 and Paris-Roubaix in 2019.

Others former powers in the peloton have already ridden into retirement.

Richie Porte, a 37-year-old Australian, quit after the Tour de France.

Dutchman Tom Dumoulin, a former Giro winner, retired for the second time shortly after this year's Giro.

Italian Davide Rebellin, who swept the Amstel Gold, Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege in 2004 and who rode this season, his 29th, with third-division the Cambodian Cycling Academy team, is bidding farewell at the Veneto Classic on Oct 16. He is 51. AFP