Relentless Tadej Pogacar ended his “best season so far” by sealing a fifth consecutive Il Lombardia crown on Saturday in Bergamo.
In has been a jaw-dropping year for the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider which has seen him record major victories at Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Ronde van Vlaanderen and the Tour de France, as well as retaining his road-race title at the World Championships in Rwanda.
Victory in Italy also came less than a week after Pogacar claimed European road-race gold for Slovenia in southern France.
And after finishing nearly two minutes ahead of second-placed Remco Evenepoel, Pogacar became the first man to win the “Race of the Falling Leaves” five times in a row. He is now also the first to finish on the podium of all five Monuments in the same season.
In April, Pogacar won both the Tour of Flanders and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, victories which go alongside third place in Milan-San Remo and second in Paris-Roubaix which were both won by Mathieu van der Poel.
In September, Pogacar became the first man in history to do the Tour de France and World Championships road-race double in consecutive seasons.
When asked after his latest win, on the 241km course through the narrow and winding roads of northern Italy, if his achievements make him feel unique, Pogacar insisted: “No. Everyone can feel unique, and everyone is on their own, but to win five times in a row, every time I start it feels like this course, this race is really suited to me.
“Also, at the same time, I have such a good team around me that we can pull it off. A big thanks to all my teammates. All the guys leading out on the final climb, protecting me from behind, it was like top-class work, and impressive stuff from my teammates.
“I always say, for seven years in a row, I say, 'this is my best season so far', and again, I can say, this is the best season so far.”
From the moment Pogacar was left to attack by his powerful UAE teammates – which included the likes of Isaac del Toro and Adam Yates – with around 38 kilometres remaining there was no doubt of the final result.
Pogacar left rivals in his wake with a trademark blistering attack on the steeper slopes of the decisive final climb, the Passo di Ganda, becoming the first man since Eddy Merckx in 1975 to win three Monuments in a single season. His last 15 one-day race wins have now come after solo attacks.
Pogacar even had time on the final stretch to turn to the motorcycle camera following him and yell in delight, slowing down as he approached the line with his hands off his handlebars to double fist-pump the air as he crossed the line.
At 27-years-old, Pogacar has now won 10 of the sport's Monuments – the five toughest and longest one-day races of the year – nine shy of a career tally set by Merckx, who won three in 1969, 1971, 1972 and 1975.
UAE Team Emirates arrived in Lombardy having already written another remarkable chapter in their history, with 90 wins this season to their name.
It became 91 with the 19th win of Pogacar's year capping an unforgettable campaign for the team – and their Slovenian superstar.
