Pogacar caps brilliant season with European crown
FILE PHOTO: Cycling - Road World Championships 2025 - Kigali, Rwanda - September 28, 2025 Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar celebrates on the podium after winning the Men's Elite Road Race REUTERS/Jean Bizimana/File Photo
Slovenian Tadej Pogacar capped a superb season by winning the European title on Sunday to add to his World Championships crown, before issuing a warning to his rivals by saying he still has room to improve and become even better.
This year's European Championships were billed as a three-way battle between Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel and Jonas Vingegaard, but a dominant Pogacar blew away the competition with a devastating 75-km solo attack.
Belgian Evenepoel was second, while Dane Vingegaard did not finish the race.
Pogacar also beat Evenepoel to claim a second-consecutive men's road race world title last month, becoming the first rider to win the Tour de France and the World Championships road race the same year twice in a row.
"Every year I want to be a better version of myself. Try to gain more experience, try different races and I am lucky enough to be in these kinds of races. I need to enjoy it for as long as I can," Pogacar told reporters.
"Remco was really good and always chasing me and I could not give up until the finish line. I had to push really, really hard and I'm happy it's over and another title."
Pogacar is expected to finish his season at the Giro di Lombardia this month, where he is chasing a fifth consecutive victory.
