“Thank you so much for these 15 years” – Rafal Majka shares emotional message as selfless career ends with one last Pogacar partnership at Il Lombardia

Rafal Majka crossed the finish line of Il Lombardia for the final time on Saturday not as a winner, but as the man who helped make another piece of history happen. As his teammate Tadej Pogacar powered to a record-breaking fifth successive victory in the autumn Monument, Majka quietly brought the curtain down on a distinguished 15-year career defined not by personal glory, but by service.

The 35-year-old rolled home 39th in what he had already confirmed would be his last professional race, and the emotion of the day was evident at the line. “Yes, this is definitely it,” Majka told Eurosport moments after climbing off his bike. “Before Lombardia, I had a few thoughts that maybe something could change, but I’ve said a definitive ‘enough’ and today I’m happy.”

Majka’s farewell was marked by a guard of honour and warm tributes throughout the day. It was the sort of send-off earned over years spent as one of the peloton’s most respected mountain domestiques.

“I’m happy with what I’ve achieved,” he reflected. “I’m proud of my career, and of course it’s sad. I’ll miss these races, but I want to thank all the fans for all these years, and above all my family. Life goes on, the years fly by. Thank you, fans, for all those years, for the support and the energy you gave me on the roadside. I’m happy. Thank you so much for these 15 years of encouragement and belief.”

Beside the barriers, his wife Magdalena stood watching with a mixture of relief and melancholy. “I’ve waited 19 years for this, because Rafał has been a cyclist for as long as we’ve been together,” she said. “But today it comes with a strange feeling. This is the date, everything ends. It’s a special day, and I hope we’ll make it a special one.”

Majka turned professional in 2011 and quickly forged a reputation as a pure climber capable of both winning and working. His breakthrough came with two stage victories and the King of the Mountains title at Tour de France 2014, and a bronze medal at Olympic Games Rio 2016 confirmed his individual class.

But his legacy will be equally tied to the work he did in service of others. Majka was the ever-reliable lieutenant for Alberto Contador at Tinkoff, later becoming a cornerstone of UAE Team Emirates’ Grand Tour dominance, helping Pogacar to multiple victories at the Tour de France.

He became known as a rider who could bury himself for his leaders in the high mountains, a loyal presence who made victory possible for others — and who never seemed to need the limelight himself.

For Majka’s family, this farewell had been a long time coming. “No matter whether Rafał made the decision five or ten years from now, he would always be missed in cycling,” Magdalena said. “He always knows how to smile, how to cheer people up, and everyone’s seen that many times. There would never have been a ‘right’ moment for him to say goodbye. It had to happen at some point.”

The date that felt distant for so many years finally arrived on the winding climbs of northern Italy. And fittingly, Majka spent his final kilometres doing what he’s always done best — riding on the front, controlling the pace, and setting up Pogacar for yet another historic victory.

As the sun set over Lombardy, Majka stepped away from the sport as one of its most respected figures. His career might not be studded with Monuments and yellow jerseys, but it has been built on something rarer: trust, loyalty, and the ability to make others great. He leaves the peloton with a heartfelt “thank you” — and with the admiration of fans, teammates, and rivals alike.