It doesn't matter if it's from Como to Bergamo, like this Saturday or in 2021, or from Bergamo to Como, like last year. The route does not matter or who is at the start to compete with it. Il Lombardia has run three times and each time he has conquered the fallen leaves race. Tadej Pogacar is unbeatable in the autumn classic. The Slovenian, who attacked going up and attacked going down, is only the third cyclist to achieve the consecutive triplet in Lombardy.
Binda did it (1925, 1926 and 1927), who was even paid in the Giro so that he would not participate and there would be excitement, and Fausto Coppi, nicknamed the Campeonissimo, who scored four editions in a row (from 1946 to 1949). A record that Pogacar will surely try next year.
Pogacar has not yet had his third Tour de France, two years defeated by Vingegaard. But they have not been two ordinary years nor two wasted courses. There have been two trips around the sun in which the Slovenian has expanded his collection from one to five monuments: a Liege, a Tour of Flanders and the three Lombardies. Oh, and he has been fifth and fourth in Sanremo. And with just turned 25 years old.
Not to mention the April fall in Liège, which was won, decaffeinated, by Evenepoel. This Saturday, an accident at the beginning knocked the Belgian champion off his horse, hurting his left elbow. He still was ninth at the finish line in Bergamo.
For the first time the Slovenian was able to win the solitaire. He had always arrived with a carbine, accompanied. In 2021 from the Italian Masnada. In 2022, with the Balearic Enric Mas, who he abandoned with 80 kilometers left. This time he was able to taste success from afar. In a big way. “Arriving alone was a dream. I really enjoyed the last two kilometers,” he confessed.
The UAE leader had to overcome Vlasov and Roglic who seemed to already be running together although they were still wearing different jerseys. One from Bora, another from Jumbo for the last time. The Russian was the first to respond to Pogacar's attack on the tough Passo di Ganda. Roglic, from behind, allowed himself to be done, who did not want to take on the persecution, who tried to make Carlos Rodríguez or Carapaz wear down and was keeping his strength. The truth is that the winner of the Giro dell'Emilia, protagonist of the most famous transfer, did not have the best legs after almost six hours of racing.
“I know the port very well. I tried to attack on the climb but Vlasov was very strong. So I was hoping to go with him to the finish line,” Pogacar explained. However, from behind they all hunted them. Or so they thought. They left him a few meters on the descent. Big mistake. “Afterwards I have distanced myself a little and I knew more about the relegation than two years ago, which was a small disaster for me. I have given everything. “It has been hard,” he said, due to some ramps on his thighs that made him slow down. His triumph was never in danger. Bagioli, second in his last service with Soudal -whether it merges or not-, and Roglic, third, completed the podium, where 1 does not allow discussion.
