Tadej Pogacar claims fourth straight Tour of Lombardy win in perhaps greatest season ever


Stuart James
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UAE Team Emirates' superstar Tadej Pogacar won his fourth consecutive Tour of Lombardy title on Saturday to round off what is perhaps the greatest season of all time.

The Slovenian had already captured the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and the World Championship Triple Crown before destroying the opposition to cross the line in Como for victory.

In a near-identical move to his attack at the World Championships two weeks ago, Pogacar broke clear around 50 kilometres from the end. No other rider even tried to catch him as he clinched the final one-day classic of the season.

The Team Emirates rider finished three minutes and 16 seconds ahead of Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel of Soudal Quick-Step, with Lidl-Trek's Giulio Ciccone in third, 4:31 back. Pogacar chose not to take part in the Games in Paris shortly after becoming the first man in 26 years to seal the Giro d'Italia-Tour de France double.

Saturday's victory was his fourth straight triumph in the Lombardia and drew him level with Italian Alfredo Binda (1925-27 and 1931) and just one behind Italian great Fausto Coppi (1946-49 and 1954) in the 120-year -old race, the season's final Monument Classic.

Pogacar also won another Monument this year when he triumphed in the Liege-Bastogne-Liege back in the spring. Saturday's win was his 25th of the season.

The undulating and scenic autumn race in Lombardy, known as the “Classic of the Falling Leaves” started in Bergamo and finished 255 kilometres later, with riders tackling iconic climbs such as Colma di Sormano and San Fermo della Battaglia before reaching Como's famed lakefront.

An early breakaway formed into about 10 riders, who were eventually caught with 48 kilometres left, which is when Pogacar decided it was time to go. One he made his break away, there was no attempt to reel him in.

After the race, Pogacar said: “Every victory is special, and today also. The team worked so hard all year for all the victories we achieved, and today is no different. It was a big day for us, long race, hard race, and it was all dependent on our team, but we did a super good job and I’m super happy to win with the team.

"We planned it like this [the attack on Sormano]. The race is so hard that in the end the last 40km is more or less man to man. I knew if I had a decent gap on the top I can come to the finish, but you never know. There was a moment after the descent where it was false down but really fast, then a little bit up and down, and there I tried to push to win some seconds and win the mental game on this chase. Then it was one by one to the finish anyway.

"I was just enjoying the crowds, and looking forward to off-season."

Asked about the history he has made this season, he added: "Let's see what at the end of the career."

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History's medical milestones

1799 - First small pox vaccine administered

1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery

1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases

1895 - Discovery of x-rays

1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time

1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin

1953 - Structure of DNA discovered

1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place 

1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill

1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.

1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out

Scotland's team:

15-Sean Maitland, 14-Darcy Graham, 13-Nick Grigg, 12-Sam Johnson, 11-Byron McGuigan, 10-Finn Russell, 9-Ali Price, 8-Magnus Bradbury, 7-Hamish Watson, 6-Sam Skinner, 5-Grant Gilchrist, 4-Ben Toolis, 3-Willem Nel, 2-Stuart McInally (captain), 1-Allan Dell

Replacements: 16-Fraser Brown, 17-Gordon Reid, 18-Simon Berghan, 19-Jonny Gray, 20-Josh Strauss, 21-Greig Laidlaw, 22-Adam Hastings, 23-Chris Harris

David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

The Bio

Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

Updated: October 12, 2024, 4:30 PM`