FILE PHOTO: Cycling - Road World Championships 2025 - Kigali, Rwanda - September 28, 2025 Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar celebrates on the podium after winning the Men's Elite Road Race REUTERS/Jean Bizimana/File Photo
(Reuters) -World champion Tadej Pogacar delivered another masterclass in solo dominance on Saturday, winning the Giro di Lombardia for a record fifth consecutive year to mark the Slovenian's 10th career Monuments victory and third of 2025.
The Tour de France champion also won the Tour of Flanders and Liege-Bastogne-Liege this year, becoming the only rider after Belgian great Eddy Merckx to claim three Monuments in a year.
The UAE Team Emirates rider won the Giro di Lombardia last year with a solo attack and it was a case of deja vu on the 241-km course when he left his rivals in the dust with a trademark attack, beating Remco Evenepoel by one minute and 48 seconds.
His triumph took him level on five Lombardia wins with record holder Fausto Coppi of Italy, who won the race from 1946-1949 and again in 1954, while Pogacar also became the first cyclist to win a Monument five times consecutively.
'THIS RACE REALLY SUITS ME'
"To win Il Lombardia five times in a row, every time I start, it feels like this race really suits me. But at the same time I have such a good team around me that we could pull it and I owe a big thanks to all my teammates," Pogacar said.
"Domen (Novak) did a fantastic job, then Pavel (Sivakov) was also really impressive today and all the guys on the final climb protecting me. It was top-class work, just impressive from all my teammates."
Having finished second in Paris-Roubaix and third at Milano-Sanremo, Pogacar also became the first rider to finish on the podium of all five Monuments of the year.
"(Bike manufacturer) Ernesto Colnago was here at the finish and Eddy Merckx called him so we talked and it was really cool," Pogacar said.
"But I don't like to be compared with others. Everyone is unique in his own way."
RELENTLESS PACE FROM POGACAR
Pogacar, who also retained the rainbow jersey at the cycling world championships in Rwanda's Kigali last month, attacked on the final Passo di Ganda climb with nobody able to match his relentless pace for the final 37-km.
Belgian Evenepoel of Soudal Quick-Step was left behind but he managed to distance Tudor Pro Cycling Team's Australian Michael Storer, who was third more than three minutes behind.
On the final stretch, Pogacar was already celebrating and soaking in the applause from the crowds lined up on either side, crossing the finish with his arms outstretched in triumph.
"Seven years in a row I've said this is my best season so far. And (again) I can say this is my best season so far," Pogacar added with a smile.
"Milano-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix will be my next big goals, but I want to relax before I think about next year. I'm happy with the way I finished it off this year."
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
