Tadej Pogacar said he "pushed through" the pain after battling cramp in both legs during Saturday's Il Lombardia as the UAE Team Emirates star became only the third rider to win the season-ending Monument race three times in a row.
The Slovenian, 25, made his move on the decisive Passo di Granda climb and crossed the line first in Bergamo, comfortably ahead of a star-studded field of rivals.
Pogacar joined Alfredo Binda and seven-time Grand Tour champion Fausto Coppi, a winner four times between 1946 and 1949, to complete the streak of wins in the "Race of the Falling Leaves".
The victory continues another superb season for the world's top-ranked male road cyclist, who has also claimed prestigious titles in Paris-Nice, the Fleche Wallonne, the Tour of Flanders, and the Amstel Gold Race. In all, the two-time Tour de France champion has won 17 times this season.
"In the moment that I got a little gap, I knew the descent a little better than two years ago when it was a bit of a disaster for me, but today I gave it my all and it was tough to go so far to the finish," said Pogacar, who finished nearly a minute ahead of the chasing pack.
He cruised to victory despite picking up cramp in both his legs soon after reaching the plain between the decisive Passo di Granda and the punchy Colle Aperto which leads into Bergamo.
"I was thinking that was it, but I pushed through and I lowered down the power and focused on being as aero as possible to save myself for the final kick," he said.
"To win the third time at my third participation, second here in Bergamo, it's a dream to come solo and today it was fantastic. I was enjoying the last few kilometres even though it was so painful."
Pogacar saw off a field which included compatriot and reigning Giro d'Italia champion Primoz Roglic, who couldn't pull off a win in his last race before leaving Jumbo-Visma for Bora-Hansgrohe.
Roglic was among a clutch of riders including world time-trial champion Remco Evenepoel, Adam Yates and Julian Alaphilippe who had hopes of glory in northern Italy but could do nothing to stop Pogacar.
French rider Thibaut Pinot also said goodbye in his final race as a professional road cyclist, one attended by an impressive number of French fans who crossed the Alps in the vain hope that their hero could repeat his 2018 victory.
"I might not be world champion but I have the best fans in the world. It's been a wonderful experience," said Pinot.
"I knew it was going to be a difficult day and that's what it turned out to be. But I kept fighting because I knew I had to finish."
The first few hours of the race were fairly uneventful beyond a couple of breaks which were caught by Ben Healy and Oscar Onley just before the Zambla Alta climb with 70km to go.
Healy pushed the nine-man break over the 10km ascent as the star-studded peloton lurked just over a minute behind, before he and Martin Marcellusi drew ahead of the rest before the winding Passo di Granda climb.
However the Irishman was caught after Pogacar's teammate Yates attacked from the peloton, and Pogacar and Roglic both worked their way into the leading group of 11, setting up what looked to be a battle between some of cycling's biggest stars.
But it was Pogacar who suddenly burst in front, and Aleksandr Vlasov lent a hand in keeping the rest of the break off his heels until he decided to go it alone.
He opened up a 30-second gap on the descent and by the time he hit the flat road with 15km left there was enough space between him and the chasers that not even cramp could stop him from victory.
Pogacar's teammate Yates, who won the opening stage at this year's Tour de France, placed sixth.
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
The view from The National
Essentials
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Windhoek, with a combination of Emirates and Air Namibia, cost from US$790 (Dh2,902) via Johannesburg.
The trip
A 10-day self-drive in Namibia staying at a combination of the safari camps mentioned – Okonjima AfriCat, Little Kulala, Desert Rhino/Damaraland, Ongava – costs from $7,000 (Dh25,711) per person, including car hire (Toyota 4x4 or similar), but excluding international flights, with The Luxury Safari Company.
When to go
The cooler winter months, from June to September, are best, especially for game viewing.
The biog
Most memorable achievement: Leading my first city-wide charity campaign in Toronto holds a special place in my heart. It was for Amnesty International’s Stop Violence Against Women program and showed me the power of how communities can come together in the smallest ways to have such wide impact.
Favourite film: Childhood favourite would be Disney’s Jungle Book and classic favourite Gone With The Wind.
Favourite book: To Kill A Mockingbird for a timeless story on justice and courage and Harry Potters for my love of all things magical.
Favourite quote: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” — Winston Churchill
Favourite food: Dim sum
Favourite place to travel to: Anywhere with natural beauty, wildlife and awe-inspiring sunsets.
The specs: 2018 Mazda CX-5
Price, base / as tested: Dh89,000 / Dh130,000
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 188hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 251Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.1L / 100km
Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
Arabian Gulf Cup FINAL
Al Nasr 2
(Negredo 1, Tozo 50)
Shabab Al Ahli 1
(Jaber 13)
The specs: 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk
Price, base: Dh399,999
Engine: Supercharged 6.2-litre V8
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 707hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 875Nm @ 4,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 16.8L / 100km (estimate)
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