The Next Bettini? Cunego Confirms Classic Clout at Lombardia with Third Win at Northern Italian Monument

Damiano Cunego takes his third Giro di Lombardia

"I am happy because it is my course and very demanding." With those words, referring to the parcours of the Giro di Lombardia, Damiano Cunego perfectly summed up his characteristics as a professional bicycle rider. Built in the mold of Italian legend Paolo Bettini, Cunego excells in long races that feature short, steep climbs. A technically savvy rider, the 27 year old fancies himself a grand tour contender as well as one day stylist, but after his third victory at Lombardia, hopefully he'll rethink his strategy for 2009.

Since his win at the Giro d'Italia in 2004, Cunego has not fared well in any grand tour. Although he attempted to make the 2008 Tour de France a major target, "il piccolo principe" was unable to keep pace in the high mountains, and was downright embarrassed in the long time trials, losing minutes to the favorites. The 2008 Tour was his best chance at victory due to the lack of time trialing, absence of Alberto Contador, and multiple mountain stages, but still the Lampre leader fell well short of his goal, eventually abandoning.

Cunego's inability to win a grand tour comes with no shame. It takes a special kind of rider to win a three week stage race, and not all riders are up to the task. But it also takes a special kind of rider to be a contender in any big time one day race. Cunego, if he desires, could legitimately take on the role that Paolo Bettini had during his career, that of classics king.

Cunego has never truly worked on his sprinting. If he did, there is no reason he couldn't contend in the year's first classic, Milan-San Remo. Even if his sprint didn't develop, he could still win the race by doing what he did Saturday in Lombardia: attacking fiercely on one of the last climbs and soloing home. The same goes for the cobbled classic Tour of Flanders. With multiple steep bergs, Flanders too is a race that Cunego could have on his palmares by the end of his career, providing that he trains for the tough Belgian hard man's classic in the future.

He already has three Tours of Lombardy and one Amstel Gold, and he is only 27. With a classics-focused approach over the next several years, Cunego could easily add a few of each of the major classics he has yet to win. Paris-Roubaix probably is a bit too difficult for the small Italian to succeed, but all of the other monuments (Milan-San Remo, Flanders, Liege-Bastogne-Liege) are well within his reach.

During interviews, Cunego has bristled at the suggestion that he should switch his focus to one day races. He believes in his heart that he can do both. But since 2004, whether he likes it or not, Cunego has not been able to get it done at a three week race. At 27, he has a chance to pursue cycling immortality as a classics star. If he does, he could be remembered at the end of his career as one of the best one day riders in the history of the sport. On the other hand, if he continues to target both classics and grand tours, he will probably be a winner at one day races far less frequently.

No one knows what the future will hold for Cunego as a grand tour rider. But as a one day threat, all signs point to Cunego being able to dominate. He came within a hair's width of the world title in Varese this past year, and has also been close at other classics. Now is the time for Cunego to change his approach and embrace his destiny as one day classics king. With Bettini retired, Italy is waiting for the next great one day champion to emerge. Cunego, with proper focus, could fill that void starting in 2009.