{"id":203947,"date":"2025-10-13T10:06:27","date_gmt":"2025-10-13T10:06:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/?p=203947"},"modified":"2025-10-13T10:07:32","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T10:07:32","slug":"tadej-pogacar-wins-record-fifth-straight-il-lombardia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2025\/10\/13\/tadej-pogacar-wins-record-fifth-straight-il-lombardia\/","title":{"rendered":"Poga\u010dar Wins Record Fifth Straight Il Lombardia in Typical Solo Fashion"},"content":{"rendered":"

This year\u2019s edition of the last Monument of the season, Il Lombardia, was d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu all over again: It was won by Tadej Poga\u010dar after a 36.6km solo ride that no one could follow, with Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) finishing second, at 1:48, and \u2013 the only surprise \u2013 Tudor\u2019s Michael Storer completing the podium, 3:14 behind. The fourth-place finisher, Quinn Simmons of Lidl-Trek, also deserves an honorable mention, for he was the last survivor of a long 14-rider breakaway and rode at the front of the race for 207km of the 241km course from Como to Bergamo, a massive performance by the 24-year-old American.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

D\u00e9j\u00e0 vu again<\/strong><\/h2>\n

When Poga\u010dar took off on the hardest climb of the day, the Passo di Ganda (9.3km @ 7.1%), no one even tried to follow him. (I saw the same passivity in Tuesday\u2019s Tre Valli Varesine, <\/strong>also won by the UAE Team Emirates\u2013XRG leader after a 30-something solo.) Perhaps it\u2019s because it\u2019s the end of the year and everyone (except Poga\u010dar) is tired, or they decided that chasing an impossible dream is not worth risking a potential spot on the podium.<\/p>\n

Evenepoel told Het Laatste Nieuws<\/a> that he simply couldn\u2019t keep up. \u201cWhen Tadej attacked, I had to go into survival mode. It was not even the steepest part of the climb. It is special to see how he can still accelerate despite that brutal opening tempo from [Jay] Vine.\u201d This was the time trial world champion\u2019s last ride for Soudal Quick-Step, following a seven-year collaboration that had many highs and a few lows. It will be interesting to watch his progress with Red Bull\u2013BORA hansgrohe.<\/p>\n

According to TNT Sports, this was the fiftieth (yes, 50th) solo-ride win of Poga\u010dar\u2019s career. More importantly, the Slovenian superstar became the second rider, with the great Fausto Coppi,<\/a> to win Il Lombardia five times. But he is the only rider to record the five wins in five years. He is also only the second rider to win three Monuments in one season; Eddy Merckx is the other. At 27 years of age, he has now won 10 of the sport’s Monuments \u2013 the five toughest one-day races on the calendar. Merckx won 19, including three in 1969, 1971, 1972 and 1975.\u00a0At the rate he\u2019s going, Poga\u010dar will catch him in three years.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

A post shared by Il Lombardia (@ilombardia)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n