“He’s like Pogacar, everyone loves him” — Brian Holm praises Elia Viviani’s fairytale farewell after world title win

It was a farewell that could hardly have been scripted better. After a decade and a half in the professional peloton, Elia Viviani ended his career on the highest possible note: winning the world title in the elimination race at the Track World Championships in Chile.

The 36-year-old Italian delivered a perfect finale that left fans and commentators alike deeply moved. Among them was Eurosport commentator Brian Holm, who openly admitted that the moment brought him to the brink of tears.

“Damn, that was good. It’s one of the most moving things I’ve ever seen. I don’t really know why,” Holm said in the latest episode of podcast Café Eddy in comments gathered by Ekstra Bladet.

Holm tried to explain what made Viviani’s triumph so emotional to watch, making a surprising comparison. “He’s like Pogacar, everyone loves him. He’s a good man. To see him in his very last race become world champion, that’s one of the best things I’ve ever seen on TV,” he added.

Elia Viviani’s professional journey began in 2010 when he joined Liquigas–Doimo, a team that also featured stars like Ivan Basso, Peter Sagan or Vincenzo Nibali. Over the years, he became one of Italy’s most successful and reliable riders, combining success on both the road and the track.

During his professional career, Viviani amassed five stage victories at the Giro d’Italia, three at the Vuelta a España and one at the Tour de France, reaching the impressive number of 90 professional wins.

His greatest road victory arguably came in 2019, when he captured the European Championship title in a flat edition, beating a strong field that included Mark Cavendish, Mads Pedersen or Arnaud Démare.