'I’m starting to feel a bit old’ - Pogacar finds motivation in new generation

“The new generations are coming, and that’s natural,” he said in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport. “Seixas has been strong all year, and Philipsen too. Our sport is evolving. There’s a lot of spectacle now, and there will be even more in the future.”

“Finding new rivals and trying to beat them is motivating,” he continued. “They’ll make things tough for me, so I’ll need to keep my level high. That’s how it should be.”

That sense of renewal follows him into the final race of his season. On Saturday Pogačar will start Il Lombardia looking for a fifth consecutive victory in cycling’s last great Monument. It would be an unprecedented achievement, but he insists his motivation is not built on records. 

“As you know, I’m not too obsessed with numbers or records. Winning four in a row is already something special, but I’ll start with the hope and desire to do it again. I know I can rely on a great team around me, and that’s already a good start.”

He will line up as the favourite, with Remco Evenepoel as a clear reference point, but he rejects the idea of a private showdown. “Evenepoel is incredibly strong, but it will not be a two man duel. That would be reductive and disrespectful to all the other riders.”

Form is not in doubt after winning Tre Valli Varesine, even if the script changed on the road. “Actually, no,” he laughed. “Our plan was to wait until the last lap and set a steady tempo, but the Tudor team made the race hard very early. When Del Toro and I attacked uphill, it worked out well. It was a good situation for us, even if we knew nobody would really cooperate.”

He then surprised with a move on the descent. “As soon as I saw I had a few metres, I went full gas. Even if they caught me, Isaac was behind and could win in a sprint or alone. We seized the moment, and it worked.”

The season has stretched deep into autumn, yet his focus has not faded. “Yes, I’m ready,” he said. “It has been a long and demanding year, but I have managed it well. Now there is just one big race left. Il Lombardia is a great goal, one of the most important races on the calendar. I am confident my legs will still be good.”

He jokes about feeling old, but his racing still sets the standard the newcomers measure themselves against. A new generation is coming, but Pogačar is intent on deciding the terms.