The leaves had been nonetheless inexperienced and never falling on the Madonna del Ghisallo when Il Lombardia raced by on Saturday. Autumn has nonetheless to reach in northern Italy and the lads’s skilled biking season goes on for no less than one other week in China, the Veneto, France, Japan and even Andorra.
But Il Lombardia all the time marks the symbolic finish to a protracted season. The keenness of the early-season races is changed by the autumnal mordoré because the afternoon gentle regularly fades sooner than the vitality left within the riders’ legs.
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Tadej Pogačar gained Il Lombardia for a report fifth consecutive time, however there have been indicators we have now reached ‘Peak Pogačar’. He’s now 27, close to his bodily greatest however is maybe already mentally drained, financially safe for all times and glad along with his palmares.
New riders like Paul Seixas, Alberto Philipsen, Isaac del Toro are already snapping at his heels and exhibiting their future greatness. We’re in a brand new period {of professional} biking and Quinn Simmons once more confirmed how fortune can favour the courageous and even threaten Pogačar’s greatness.
Have we reached Peak Pogačar?
Tadej Pogačar’s fifth Il Lombardia victory created a brand new report and extra statistical comparisons than even ChatGPT might generate.
The Slovenian grew to become the primary rider to complete on the rostrum of all 5 monuments in the identical season. In 2025, he additionally gained a fourth Tour de France, the UAE Tour and the Critérium du Dauphiné, Strade Bianche, the Tour of Flanders, La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Pogačar gained a second consecutive world title in Rwanda and has now gained 10 monuments and 108 races.
After successful Il Lombardia, he confirmed that 2025 is his greatest ever season, however have we reached peak Pogačar in 2025? In 2026, he can win a report fifth Tour de France and has already mentioned he’ll once more attempt to win Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix to just about full his palmares.
However will Pogačar ever win 20 races in a season ever once more? Will he win the Tour by such an enormous margin? Most likely not.
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If 2025 is peak Pogačar, then 2026 will mark the beginning of his gradual decline and a brand new chapter of the game.
Savouring greatness and the monotony of the extraordinary
Tadej Pogačar’s dominance has a flip facet to it, with some struggling to digest his dominance and others suggesting he’s making races boring to look at along with his long-range assaults.
The followers alongside the roadside of Il Lombardia appeared to assume in a different way as they cheered him to victory, with the tifosi packed on the ultimate Cole Aperto climb close to Bergamo so excited that they virtually knocked him off his bike.
Whereas shut, attacking racing arguably creates probably the most entertaining racing, you will need to admire greatness.
La Gazzetta dello Sport cited Merckx in an editorial about Pogačar’s dominance, recalling that the Cannibal believed that the very best rider all the time has to attempt to win after they raced. There may be little room for presents in skilled biking, it’s too laborious a sport to let another person win after 240km and 6 hours within the saddle.
Revered Italian journalist Christian Gatti described Pogačar’s dominance because the ‘monotonia dello straordinario’ – ‘the monotony of the extraordinary’.
“Daybreak and sundown are monotonous, they’re all the time the identical, with solely slight variations every time, but each is exclusive and spectacular,” Gatti wrote on Tuttobiciweb after seeing Pogačar win once more.
“These ‘bored’ by Pogačar solely want to attend a number of years, Panta rei, every thing passes and even Pogačar’s decline will come someday. Eventually he’ll attempt to assault however will fail to drop everybody. He is aware of that greater than anybody. That is why he by no means provides up on an opportunity to win. It is one among life’s guidelines, when Pogačar cracks and suffers, no one will look forward to him.”
The innocence of youth, the expertise of Paul Seixas
It might be October however there are indicators of a brand new spring in skilled biking, with the specialists hoping for a particular classic in 2026 and past, somebody capable of dethrone Pogačar and maybe a future French tour de France winner.
Paul Seixas has lengthy been seen as a future tremendous expertise, he turned skilled with Decathlon AG2R straight from the junior ranks in 2025. Nonetheless, the broader French public all of the sudden realised simply how good he’s after he fought to complete third behind Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel on the European Championships.
He confirmed that efficiency with seventh at Il Lombardia, making him the youngest rider for over a century to complete within the prime ten of a Monument since Luigi Cuppi completed fourth in Milan-San Remo aged simply 18.
Cyclingnews noticed how Seixas appeared shocked by a scrum of tv cameras and journalists past the end line in Bergamo. He simply wished to drink one thing candy and fizzy and disappear on his staff bus to ease his ache and finish his season. But it was one other milestone in his profession.
“I’ve handed a bodily milestone but in addition a psychological milestone, the place I can now inform myself that I’ve a spot amongst the very best riders,” he mentioned humbly.
Seixas’ season in the end didn’t finish with Il Lombardia. He was compelled to journey to Paris for a spherical of tv interviews and compelled to confess that sure, someday, he goals of successful the Tour de France.
Remco Evenepoel’s quiet Soudal-QuickStep goodbye
There have been goodbyes and thoroughly crafted phrases of thanks however Remco Evenepoel’s farewell to Soudal-QuickStep was a quiet affair, reflecting it’s extra of a divorce than an amicable uncoupling.
The Belgian was below contract for one more yr and the staff had pivoted to stage racing to again his Grand Tour ambitions. Nonetheless, Evenepoel is maybe probably the most demanding rider within the peloton – demanding of himself and so of his staff. He needs to win the Tour de France and realised that Soudal-QuickStep lacked the tradition and the funding to fulfill his ambitions.
For 2 years Evenpoel finally confirmed he would respect his contract and so keep at Soudal-QuickStep. This yr he couldn’t resist Crimson Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe’s courting and so struck a deal to finish his contract a yr early and put on Crimson Bull’s distinctive colors in 2026.
“The final seven years are one thing I’ll take with me for the remainder of my life, however I believe now it is time to begin one thing new,” he instructed the media within the combined zone.
Evenepoel continues to be below contract with the staff till the tip of the yr because of UCI contract guidelines, however he’ll quickly discreetly meet along with his new staff to debate race plans, coaching and meet along with his new teammates to construct a brand new staff spirit. 2026 marks a brand new chapter in his life and profession.
All change at RCS Sport as Mauro Vegni retires in 2026
Il Lombardia marked the tip of an period in Italian race organisation, with Mauro Vegni admitting that Il Lombardia was his final race as race director.
Cyclingnews noticed Vegni within the Il Lombardia podium space in Bergamo and he was surprisingly relaxed and casually dressed quite than barking orders and attempting to ensure every thing ran easily. There was no swimsuit and tie and no second on the rostrum with Pogačar. It was his closing second as a race organiser.
Vegni has designed the 2026 Giro d’Italia route that may begin in Bulgaria and be introduced in late November however he is because of formally retire in February, earlier than the 2026 RCS Sport races start.
Now 66 years outdated, Vegni has labored in a race organisation for nearly 50 years. He started as an apprentice with Tirreno-Adriatico founder Franco Mealli in Rome, helped organise the 1994 World Championships in Sicily after which moved to Milan to work for RCS Sport.
He fought with satisfaction to defend Italian biking and with dedication to organise his races regardless of a myriad of issues. A brand new staff of race administration are anticipated at RCS Sport to exchange Vegni, with former sprinter and present technical director Stefano Allocchio changing into the general public face of the Corsa Rosa.
“Occasions have modified, my position can be divided throughout completely different folks. Now cash is every thing.” Vegni instructed Bicisport with a veil of disappointment as he walked into the sundown of his profession.
The 2026 season begins as we speak
The 2025 season is near ending however the 2026 season can also be underway, with riders from Jayco AlUla present process testing and check-ups earlier than they head off on vacation.
Some riders had been already posting images of their holidays however others are in a 2025-2026 hybrid state. They’re desperately chasing UCI rating factors as Cofidis and Uno-X struggle for WorldTour locations, Tudor, Q36.5, and others struggle for 2026 WorldTour invites and Grand Tour wild playing cards.
Cian Uijtdebroeks completed tenth at Il Lombardia and hoped his season was performed however he was given a particular bonus: choice for this week’s Tour of Guangxi in China. He’ll depart Visma-Lease a Bike for Movistar in 2026 and so the Dutch staff determined to make use of him to the very finish of 2025 by sending him to China as their GC staff chief.
“I used to be given a visit to China as a farewell present. I am going to begin on the Tour of Guangxi on Tuesday,” Uijtdebroeks joked in Bergamo with a smile.
“With two days of journey and jet lag, my preparation is not splendid however the stage that decides the final classification is not till day 5, so I nonetheless have time to recuperate.”
