Tadej Pogacar's Liège-Bastogne-Liège winning Colnago sold for $40,000 at USA Cycling fundraiser auction

The Colnago V5R bike Tadej Pogačar rode to victory at Liège-Bastogne-Liège was sold for $40,000 during the USA Cycling Foundation's Bicycles & Bluegrass Benefit event in California, as Pogačar memorabilia continues to draw huge interest.

The bike was one of several sought out items, with an autographed Brandon McNulty rainbow jersey raising $7,300, an autographed Team USA jersey $6,050. The near 100 items raised $162,915 for USA Cycling Foundation athletes.

The Bicycles & Bluegrass Benefit event included rides and an evening celebration featuring an athlete panel, the live auction and bluegrass music, and dancing. The event reportedly raised nearly a million dollars to provide funding needed as the US riders gear up for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Unlike many other countries, the USA does not provide government funding for sport, so donations and sponsorship helps identify, develop and prepare riders for major events.  

“Our athletes are proof of what private support can do,” said Molly Pickall, Executive Director of the USA Cycling Foundation. “In Paris, American women won every one of Team USA's Olympic cycling medals. LA28 is the first Summer Games on home soil since 1996, and we want to arrive with the strongest team we've ever fielded. This auction gives every fan, anywhere in the country, a way to be part of the Foundation that supports USA Cycling.”

Pogačar's success has often sparked high prices for his bikes and memorabilia, especially at charity events. Last year, a custom Colnago Y1Rs ridden by Pogačar at the 2024 Tour de France and other races sold for $190,500 in a Sotheby's auction.

His race-worn Milano-San Remo skinsuit was sold for €95,100 in the spring by the Tadej Pogačar Foundation, placing it among the most valuable cycling jerseys ever sold.

The winning bidder, Karl McDonnell of the USA, received the jersey in person at the Pogi Challenge in Slovenia. Pogačar personally matched the amount, bringing the total impact of the jersey auction to €190,200. The funds go to support children and young people facing serious illness. 

Pogačar's Liège-Bastogne-Liège bike was donated by Colnago for the auction and it has the VRWC World Champion livery. It is verified against the team's service records and Pogačar rode it at the Amstel Gold Race when he finished third and then when he won Liège–Bastogne–Liège.

The winning bid will receive verified, tamper-proof ownership through the Colnago app and an embedded NFC tag. The authenticity, original specifications, and the bike's racing history are permanently tied to the frame's serial number and transferred into their name.