Powerless against Jonas Vingegaard on the Tour de France, Tadej Pogacar (24) did not miss his reunion with the Dane on Saturday on the Tour of Lombardy. With a sharp attack in the Civiglio, 20 kilometers from the finish, “Pogi” (UAE-Team Emirates) distanced the last Yellow Jersey to take with him only Enric Mas (Movistar) and Mikel Landa (Bahrain -Victorious). He dropped Landa on the final climb, San Fermo della Battaglia, before dominating Mas on the streets of Como.
Like Fausto Masnada (Deceuninck – Quick-Step) last year, the Spanish climber had to bow in the sprint against Pogacar. Much more powerful, the double winner of the Tour de France (2020, 2021) took advantage of the last meters to celebrate his success, the 16th of the season!
Alaphilippe distanced in the Civiglio
At the service of its Slovenian leader, the UAE-Emirates formation launched hostilities 62 kilometers from the finish with an acceleration at the head of the peloton from Joao Almeida in Madonna del Ghisallo. Marc Hirschi, Rafal Majka and Davide Formolo then took over to put Pogacar in orbit. Outdistanced for the first time by the teammates of the Emirati formation, Julian Alaphilippe (51st) lowered the flag at the start of Civiglio, shortly before the acceleration of Pogacar.
Vincenzo Nibali, who was competing in the last race of his career, was unclamped a few moments later. The “Shark of Messina” puts his bike away with 24th place at 2’20” from the winner. Another retiree in the afternoon, Alejandro Valverde held the shock in the group of pursuers led by Jonas Vingegaard or Romain Bardet. The newly retired finished sixth (+1’24”) for the last test of his 21 seasons as a professional.
Valverde’s teammate, Enric Mas tried everything to bring the trophy back on the Movistar bus. Remco Evenepoel’s dolphin on the Vuelta stood on the pedals in the last ascent of San Fermo della Battaglia. But he did not manage to let go of the Slovenian as at the Tour of Emilia last week. First French, Rudy Molard (Groupama-FDJ) and Romain Bardet (DSM) take eighth and ninth place respectively, 1’24” behind Pogacar.
The Slovenian therefore concludes his 2022 season with a 16th victory and a real love story with Italy where he also won the Strade Bianche and Tirreno-Adriatico. A year ” almost perfect “, acknowledged the former Yellow Jersey after the race. Fifth in Milan-San Remo and fourth in the Tour of Flanders, Pogacar could add a little more to its Monuments counter from 2023.