Tadej Pogacar ends 'almost perfect' season by retaining Il Lombardia title

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. The race developed exactly the way we wanted, I had in mind to attack on the Civiglio and so I did.

"Mas proved to be in great shape and he followed me to the finish line. We tried to cooperate and then play for the win in the sprint.

"Fortunately, the result of the duel was different from that of the Giro dell’Emilia, and I was able to win. It’s been a great season for me and it’s ended in the best possible way.”

There was no dream finish for Nibali, one of just seven riders to have won all three of cycling's Grand Tours and also a two-time winner of Il Lombardia. The "Shark of Messina" finished in 24th place after falling by the wayside on the Civiglo climb towards the end of the race.

Vincenzo Nibali concluded his legendary