Pogacar hails 'best season so far' after sealing historic Il Lombardia win

World champion Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) stormed to a record-equalling fifth Il Lombardia victory in Bergamo on Saturday, becoming the first rider ever to win five consecutive editions of any Monument.

The Slovenian launched his decisive attack with 36.5km remaining on the Passo di Ganda, quickly bridging to earlier attacker Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) before leaving the American Champion behind on his way to another dominant solo triumph.

Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) secured second place after distancing Simmons and Michael Storer (Tudor) on the descent of the final climb, in what marked his last race for the Belgian team before his 2026 move to Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe.

With this victory, Pogačar equals Fausto Coppi's record of five wins in the "Race of the Falling Leaves" while maintaining his perfect 100% win rate in the Italian Monument. The 27-year-old has now claimed 10 Monument victories in his career, with only Roger De Vlaeminck (11) and Eddy Merckx (19) having won more.

When asked if he felt special or unique after his historic achievement, Pogačar remained characteristically modest.

"No. I mean, everybody can feel unique, and everybody is on their own. But, yeah, to win five times in a row, every time I start it feels that, this course, this race, is really suited for me. But also at the same time, I have such a good team around me that, yeah, we can pull it off. And, yeah, big thanks to all the teammates," he said.

The world champion praised his team's execution of their race strategy, with everything going according to plan, a day where one of his most loyal lieutenants, Rafał Majka, pinned a number on for the final time before retirement.

"Yeah, Doman [Novak], did a fantastic job. Then Pavel [Sivakov] was, yeah, also really impressive today. And then all the guys, leading out on the final climb and protecting me from behind. It was top-class work and just impressive stuff from the teammates," Pogačar added.

The victory caps off yet another extraordinary season for Pogačar, who became the first rider to stand on the podium in all five Monuments in a single year. Combined with his fourth Tour de France victory, second World Championships and maiden European title, as well as victories at the Tour of Flanders and Liège-Bastogne-Liège among 20 victories, he described 2025 as his best year yet, a self-assessment he is becoming used to at the end of each passing season.

“Yeah, I always say, 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." said Pogačar.