Tadej Pogacar completed a breathtaking season by clinching his fifth consecutive Il Lombardia title after another masterful display of dominance. The Slovenian powered to victory in Bergamo following a trademark solo attack on the Passo di Ganda climb, cementing his place among the sport’s legends and matching Fausto Coppi’s record of five career victories in the “Race of the Falling Leaves.”
Pogacar’s triumph also made him the first rider since Eddy Merckx in 1975 to win three Monuments, the Tour de France, and a world championship in the same season — an extraordinary achievement that underscores his total control over world cycling. With the win, he took his career Monument tally to 10, just nine shy of Merckx’s record.
The 241km race from Como to Bergamo unfolded perfectly for Pogacar, thanks to a strong UAE Team Emirates lineup featuring Adam Yates, Jay Vine, and rising talent Isaac del Toro. The early stages saw American Quinn Simmons push ahead from the breakaway, holding a lead of over a minute with 70km remaining. However, as the peloton approached the decisive climbs, Pogacar’s teammates increased the tempo, shredding the group and setting the stage for their leader’s attack.
On the Passo di Ganda, Pogacar struck decisively, reeling in Simmons before the summit and riding solo to the finish. Behind him, Remco Evenepoel once again settled for second place, nearly two minutes adrift, mirroring his runner-up finishes at both the world and European championships earlier in the year.
Australian rider Michael Storer produced a career-best performance to secure third place, becoming only the second Australian in 120 years to reach the Il Lombardia podium after Phil Anderson in 1986. His result capped a breakthrough season that included stage wins at Paris–Nice and the Tour of the Alps, where he also claimed overall victory.
Reflecting on the win, Pogacar described it as another unforgettable moment in a season he called his best yet. “Every time I start this race, it feels like it’s made for me,” he said. “With such a great team around me, we can always make it happen.”
At just 27, Pogacar continues to redefine cycling greatness — a rider not only dominating his era but also steadily rewriting the sport’s record books.
