Tadej Pogačar Makes History With Fifth Successive Il Lombardia Victory And Three Monument Wins

Tadej Pogačar secured another victory for UAE Team Emirates-XRG by winning Il Lombardia on Saturday. This triumph adds to his impressive season, which includes wins at the Tour of Flanders and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Pogačar's win marks his third Monument Classic victory this year, making him only the second cyclist in history to achieve this feat in a single calendar year, following Eddy Merckx.

With his latest success, Pogačar has etched his name in history by becoming the first cyclist to finish on the podium of all five Monuments within one season. His achievements include victories in Flanders, Liège, and Lombardia, a third-place finish at Milano-Sanremo in March, and a runner-up position at Paris-Roubaix in April.

During the race on Saturday, Pogačar launched his decisive attack 34km from the finish line. He powered up the final climb into Città Alta before descending into Bergamo to secure his fifth consecutive victory at the Race of the Falling Leaves. This win places him alongside Fausto Coppi with five victories at Il Lombardia.

Reflecting on his remarkable season, Pogačar expressed gratitude towards his team: "To win five times in a row, every time I have started, it feels that this course and this race are really suited for me. Also, at the same time, I have such a good team around me that we can pull it off. Big thanks to all my teammates!"

Pogačar's latest triumph brings UAE Team Emirates-XRG's total wins this season to 93. This achievement surpasses the previous record of 85 wins set by Team Columbia-HTC in 2009. The Emirati squad continues to build on its success under Pogačar's leadership.

Under Lombardy's autumn sun, Isaac del Toro delivered an impressive performance by finishing fifth. Meanwhile, Remco Evenepoel from Soudal Quick-Step secured second place. Rafał Majka concluded his 15-year professional career during this event.

This season has been extraordinary for Pogačar as he retained his Tour de France title and won the European Championship for the first time. Additionally, he celebrated reaching 100 career victories as a professional cyclist.

With inputs from WAM