In Hinault’s footsteps: Pogacar wins the Tour of Lombarei

Tadej Pogacar celebrates his victory in the Lombardy Tour.
Images by imago / labres

Tadej Pogacar won his second big classic of the year. The 23-year-old Slovenian won the 115th Tour of Lombardy on Saturday, making him the first professional cycling rider since Bernard Hino in 1979, who won the Tour de France and the Italian Monument in the same year. After 239 kilometers from Como to Bergamo, Pojacar overcame Italian Fausto Masnada in the sprint “Race of Falling Leaves”. In the chase group race, Brett Adam Yates finished third with a 51sec lead.

“It’s crazy. To get such a win at the end of a season like this,” Poojacar said. “I knew the Musnada knew the streets here well and would follow me. It didn’t work for me at the time, but luckily we had enough lead.”

The persecuted are at odds – only the predicate perceives it

After the 200-kilometer race with little to no excitement, Pogacar launched a decisive attack on Passo di Ganda 35 kilometers from the finish. A group of nine gathered world champion Julian Alaphilippe, Alejandro Valverde and Velta winner Primus Roglic with Yates behind the Tour winner. As the top drivers disagreed about chasing the Pogacar, Masnada attacked from the outside upon landing and caught the Pogacar. But in the sprint race, the Slovenian was unbeatable and won El Lombardy on his first entry. Pogacar previously won Liège-Bastogne-Liège that year, his first great classic.

German drivers without a chess player have no chance

German drivers played no part in the chase through northern Italy over the course of seven climbs. Maximilian Schachmann, who finished seventh last year, was not nominated by the Bora-hansgrohe team. The German champions are still reeling from the consequences of their fall to Paris Rubiks last week. The Tour of Lombardy should indeed be the highlight of Schachmann’s fall races.

Round 115 in Lombardy, Como Bergamo (239 km)

1. Tadej Pojakar (Slovenia) – United Arab Emirates Emirates Team 6:01:39 hrs; 2. Fausto Masnada (Italy) – Deceuninck-Quick-Step + 0 sec. 3 – Adam Yates (Great Britain) – Ineos Grenadier + 51; 4 – Primoz Roglic (Slovenia) – Jumbo – Visma; 5 – Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spain) – Movistar team; 6 – Julien Alfelipe (France) – Dekoninc Quick Step; 7 – David Godot (France) – Groupama-FDJ; 8. Romain Bardet (France) – Team DSM; 9 – Michael Woods (Canada) – the emerging state of Israel; 10. Sergio Andrés Higuita Garcia (Colombia) – EF Education-Nippo + 2:25 min. … 93. Simon Geschke (Freiburg im Breisgau) – Cofidis + 21:38; Emmanuel Buchmann (Lukau / Austria) – Bora Hansgrohe retired