“He was my big brother” – Emotional Tadej Pogacar waves goodbye to Rafal Majka at Il Lombardia

The world champion stood calm at the start line in Como, speaking softly but with the poise of a man who knows his place in cycling history. Tadej Pogacar, already a winner of the Tour de France, World Championships, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the Tour of Flanders, and the European Championships this year, was now aiming for a fifth consecutive Il Lombardia. Few riders in history have even dreamed of such dominance, and none in modern times have done it with such apparent ease.

“Last day with Rafa,” Pogacar said to Cycling Pro Net, referring to Rafal Majka, who rides his final race today with UAE Team Emirates. “It’s been such an honor to ride with him. As he was my big brother, my mentor through all these last few years. We’ve been through so much together. He helped me to become what I’ve become and I will miss him so much after today.”

It was a rare emotional moment from Pogacar, a champion who often lets his legs do the talking. But there’s no doubt the sentiment was genuine. For years, Majka has been his right-hand man on climbs, guiding and protecting him through countless victories. Their farewell coincides with Pogacar’s chance to write another page in cycling’s golden era, one in which his name is already etched across every monument.

On the route that winds around Lake Como, Pogacar will once again be the man everyone watches. “Yeah, I mean, yeah obviously the shape is here and the form today is the parkour, the race that suits me very well,” he said. “We saw the last four times and yeah it’s now every race where I go I’m one of the favorites, but there’s a few other favorites today. And also yeah it’s a long race with so many climbing so it can happen a lot of things, you never know.”

That uncertainty is what makes Il Lombardia so magnetic. The unpredictable climbs, the shifting weather, and the endurance required at the end of a long season make it a true test of class and consistency. Pogacar, however, has turned unpredictability into routine. His attacks on the climbs, especially on the Madonna del Ghisallo and Civiglio, have defined the last four editions.

When asked whether he preferred another solo victory or a dramatic finale, he shrugged with a smile. “I just, yeah, it doesn’t matter. We come here for the victory and we will fight for the victory no matter in what way.”