UAE Team Emirates' Tadej Pogacar adds Giro di Lombardia crown to Tour de France victory

Slovenian rider beats all-star field and adds another title to remarkable season

Team UAE Emirates' Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia (L) celebrates as he crosses the finish line of the 115th edition of the Giro di Lombardia (Tour of Lombardy), a 239 km (148,5 miles) cycling race from Como to Bergamo on October 9, 2021. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP)

Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar on his way to victory ahead of Team Deceuninck's Fausto Masnada in the Giro di Lombardia. AFP

Tadej Pogacar celebrates on podium after his win. AFP

Team UAE Emirates' Tadej Pogacar ahead of Team Deceuninck's Fausto Masnada. AFP

Fans's cheer on Tadej Pogacar in the Giro di Lombardia. AFP

Tadej Pogacar and Fausto Masnada of Italy. AFP

Team UAE Emirates' Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the Giro di Lombardia. AFP

Tadej Pogacar celebrates his victory. AFP

Team UAE Emirates rider Tadej Pogacar celebrates his victory. AFP

Team UAE Emirates' Tadej Pogacar climbs the Passo di Ganda. AFP

Tadej Pogacar celebrates on podium. AP

UAE Team Emirates rider Tadej Pogacar has added the Giro di Lombardia crown to his Tour de France title to continue his remarkable year in the saddle.

The Slovenian held off a pursuit from local boy Fausto Masnada to claim victory in Bergamo after winning a second straight Tour de France as well as Liege-Bastogne-Liege this season.

Two cycling 'monuments' and the Tour in one season is a historic feat which puts the 23-year-old alongside esteemed company such as Eddy Merckx and Fausto Coppi.

He is also the first to add the Lombardia to the Tour in the same year since Frenchman Bernard Hinault in 1979.

Pogacar made his move in the Passo di Ganda, more than 30km from the finish line, and barely looked back, easily beating the Bergamo-born Masnada in a two-man sprint after the Deceuninck-Quick Step rider had joined him in the descent.

Adam Yates claimed the final spot on the podium after sprinting ahead of some of the sport's biggest names, including in-form Primoz Roglic and world champion Julian Alaphilippe.

“It's crazy to finish the season like this. I'm without words,” Pogacar said after an exciting duel with Masnada.

“First, I thought when I attacked that someone would come with me. I guess it was so hard a race before that everyone was still thinking about the final. I just went solo.

“Every victory is important especially this one, I have been dreaming to start Lombardia and to race with the best here in Italy. Now I'm here and I took the victory.”