BERGAMO – Tadej Pogacar secured his fifth victory in the Monument classic Il Lombardia on Saturday, matching the record set by Fausto Coppi for wins in the season-concluding race.
The Slovenian champion finished first in Bergamo after a characteristic, decisive attack on the crucial Passo di Ganda climb, decimating the competition. This achievement also makes him the first cyclist since Eddy Merckx in 1975 to win three Monument titles in a single season.
Once Pogacar’s strong UAE team positioned him to launch his assault with approximately 38 kilometers remaining in the 241-kilometer race, the outcome was virtually certain. At that point, only Quinn Simmons, who had broken away early, remained ahead with a lead of one minute and 10 seconds.
Pogacar crossed the finish line nearly two minutes ahead of Remco Evenepoel, who, as at the recent world and European championships, finished second to the sport’s dominant force.
“To win five times in a row… every time I start, it feels like this race is suited to me, but also that with such a good team around me we can pull it off,” said Pogacar. “I always say, for seven years in a row, that this is my best season, and again I can say this is the best season so far.”
At 27 years old, Pogacar has now won 10 of cycling’s Monuments—the five most prestigious and demanding one-day races. This places him nine victories short of the career record held by Merckx, who won three Monments in 1969, 1971, 1972, and 1975.
His fifth consecutive win in the “Race of the Falling Leaves” adds another record to his growing list. Italian legend Coppi achieved four straight wins from 1946 to 1949, securing his fifth title in 1954.
