Tadej Pogacar ended his season in the "best possible way" after the UAE Team Emirates rider retained his Il Lombardia title on Saturday as cycling greats Vincenzo Nibali and Alejandro Valverde both ended their careers in the final monument race of the year.
Slovenian Pogacar held off Enric Mas in a two-man duel to the line after a 253-kilometre run between Bergamo and Como to gain revenge for his recent loss to the Spaniard in the Giro dell'Emilia.
Bahrain Victorious rider Mikel Landa completed the podium after failing to keep pace with the leading pair, who went after each other aggressively in an entertaining finale.
The win was the two-time Tour de France champion's seventh major win of the season and closed off a campaign which Pogacar described as "almost perfect". “It was great to get back to racing Il Lombardia and get another victory, right in the last race of the season," Pogacar said. "I can’t even express how grateful I am to all my teammates for the fantastic support they gave me.