Three days after conquering Europe, Tadej Pogacar returned — and once again, he changed the rules.
At the Tre Valli Varesine 2025, the Slovenian superstar delivered another performance for the ages: an attack on a descent that stunned the peloton and secured yet another solo victory.
No one could follow. Not Roglic, not Pidcock, not even Isaac del Toro, the young Mexican talent riding at his side. Pogacar was simply untouchable.
In this episode of Cycling World, we break down how Pogacar turned a tactical race into an artistic masterpiece, how Del Toro continues to evolve into one of the sport’s brightest futures, and why UAE Team Emirates XRG might be shaping an era that belongs entirely to them.
Power, precision, and pure instinct — this is Pogacar. And when he rides, the rest can only watch… and applaud.
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Just 3 days after being crowned European champion, today Pagachar was back on the bike. No celebrations, no rest, only that relentless drive that defines him. On Tuesday, he lined up at the Trey Valley Varene 2025, wearing the European stripes and already thinking of his next target, Iladia, the final monument of the year. Beside him stood a name that is no longer a secret. Isac Del Toro, the young Mexican phenomenon who continues to grow inside the UAE team Emirates XRG. Together they formed the most feared duo in the Pelaton, ready to take on giants like Egan Bernal, Primos Roglitch, and Tom Pitcock. The atmosphere buzzed with expectation. And yet, what unfolded would surpass anything anyone had imagined. The Trey Valley Varis, a race of endurance and cunning, offered 198 demanding kilometers, a brutal mix of rhythm, elevation, and strategy. Everyone expected Pagacha to attack where he always does on the steepest climb. But the Slovenian had other plans. When the moment came, he didn’t attack uphill. He attacked downhill. A move so bold, so unexpected that it left the entire Pelaton stunned. But before that madness, the race had to simmer. And in that kind of slow burning chaos, Pagachar is a master. From the very start, UAE team Emirates XRG dictated the tempo with military precision. Del Toro, as sharp as ever, acted as the perfect link between Pugacha and the rest of the team, setting a calm but intimidating rhythm at the head of the group. Both riders remained alert but unhurried, saving energy, analyzing every rival, waiting for the storm they knew they would unleash later. Behind them, the Pelaton rode with an unusual quietness. That respectful silence that only appears when Pagachar is in the race because when he rides, everyone knows the script can change at any moment. On the roads of Lombardi, the fans sensed it, too. Crowds lined the barriers, waving flags, shouting his name. This wasn’t just another one-day race. It was the return of a world champion, a European champion, and a rider who seems addicted to rewriting cycling’s limits. With Del Toro by his side, it already felt inevitable. Another day of total domination for UAE. The morning light spread softly across the Lombard roads, glinting off the helmets of more than a 100 riders who knew what kind of day awaited them. The first kilometers rolled by at a fast but steady rhythm, controlled as if everyone in the Pelaton understood that the real battle would come later. Then at 185 km to go, the day’s breakaway finally took shape. Five brave men breaking clear. Andrew August, Kevin Kleone, Lorenzo Malaysi, David Balerini, and Matia Bes. They worked together quickly finding a rhythm and within minutes they had carved out a two-minute lead. It was the classic early scene of any big race. The dreamers at the front, the predators watching from behind. At 180 km from the finish, Moverstar team made their presence felt with Lorenzo Malaysi in the escape. While in the main group, the tension began to fade into a kind of tactical calm. Today, Pagacha sat quietly in the middle of the pelaton, helmet low, eyes forward, shielded by his teammates. Close behind rode Isaac Del Toro, ever alert, scanning every wheel, every move like a radar locked onto the front. The gap grew to 2 minutes and 45 seconds, but there was no panic in the UAE car. Everything was under control, and control is something this team understands better than anyone. At 166 km to go, the breakaway held almost 3 minutes over the Pelaton. The average speed was over 40 kmh. Fast but not threatening. The UAE let them have their moment, allowing the race to unfold naturally. Pagacha looked composed, almost expressionless, as if calculating the perfect time to strike. Del Toro, meanwhile, carried himself with the calm confidence of a rider who already knows his purpose. Their energy was conserved, their focus total. At 148 km to go, the race was in balance. The gap hovered around 3 minutes. The UAE dictating the pace like a conductor leading a symphony. Precise, deliberate, inevitable. There was no need for haste. Every kilometer ticked away like a countdown to chaos. And both Pagacha and Del Toro, two riders at different points of their careers, but with the same hunger, were ready for the moment when the quiet would end and the storm would begin. The calm shattered just past the 100 km mark. After hours of control, the Pelaton suddenly began to tighten. Team cars moved forward, directors shouted through radios, and the tension was almost tangible. The pace lifted sharply. What had been a 3-minute advantage for the breakaway began to melt away minuteby minute until barely a handful of seconds separated the leaders from the main group. Ahead loomed Montello, the 2 km climb at 5% that always turns this race from routine into chaos. Speed still hovered around 40 kmh. The fight was about to begin. Kevin Kleone was the first to crack, his legs refusing to turn as the gradient bit. The front was now reduced to August, Bayis, Ballerini, and Malaysi, fighting to hold what little remained of their advantage. At 94 km to go, the Pelaton was within 40 seconds, and that was when the explosion came. Egan Bernal, elegant yet fierce, surged clear with a trademark acceleration that lit up the race. The Colombian caught what was left of the early break, choosing Lorenzo Mezy as his temporary ally, and together they became the new leaders. Their gap 29 seconds and widening. Behind them, the favorites watched each other wearily. UAE team Emirates XRG stayed calm. In the car, the message was simple. Keep control. Don’t chase too early. Rafal Majka moved to the front, pulling with quiet authority while Isaac Del Toro held position on his wheel, waiting for the signal. Paga remained still, almost motionless, eyes locked on the road ahead. He had seen this before. The brave move that burns brightly but fades just as fast. At 72 km to go, Bernal and Malays still held a minute. Their cooperation was perfect. Two riders in rhythm, one chasing redemption, the other chasing a miracle. But behind them, the engine of the UAE began to roar. The speed rose, the line of riders stretched thin, and every face told the same story. Exhaustion and fear. By the time they reached the 45 km mark, Bernal was alone. Malays finally broken. The Pelaton, now at half a minute, was closing like a wave. Del Toro began to lift the pace, legs spinning, expression blank. The calm was over. The time for waiting had ended, and somewhere behind his sunglasses, Tad Paga smiled. The storm was coming. It happened when nobody expected it. With just under 30 km to go, the race turned from tactical chess to pure chaos. Victor Lefay accelerated at the base of the climb, stretching the group. And that was the cue for Isaac Del Toro to react. The young Mexican surged forward with power and purpose, dragging Today Paga onto his wheel. That move cracked the race wide open. Within seconds, the chasers had become attackers. Alphonso, Elalio, Banal, Malaysia, and Simmons up ahead. Del Toro, Pagacha, Lefay, and Rogich right behind, closing fast. Eight riders, two worlds colliding. At 26 km from the line, the groups merged. The new front was packed with danger. Banal’s aggression, Rogich’s calculation, Del Toro’s hunger, and Pugachar’s unpredictability. The pace eased for barely a moment, each rider glancing nervously at the others. Everyone was waiting for the attack, but nobody imagined where it would come from. Then at 21 km to go, Pagachar looked up, shifted gears, and did something only he could do. He attacked downhill. No warning, no hesitation. He threw himself into the descent like a man chasing the horizon, carving through corners with impossible precision. His rivals hesitated, unsure whether to follow or to survive. In a matter of seconds, the Slovenian had vanished. Behind him, confusion reigned. Tom Pitcock shouted for organization. Roglitch tried to rally the group. Del Toro did what he could to limit the damage. But Pagachar was gone. Not just faster, but freer. Flying between the barriers as if gravity itself had surrendered. The gap exploded. 10 seconds, 20, 45. At 12 km to go, the chase had turned desperate. The group behind Pitcock, Roglitch, Del Toro, Bernal gave everything. But the road ahead was empty. Pagacha was no longer racing them. He was performing for history. Every corner was a brush stroke. Every descent a masterpiece of control and courage. By the final kilometer, the question wasn’t if he would win, but how far he’d gone beyond the rest. Pagachar crossed the line alone, arms raised. Serene. Another victory. Another shock to the system. A downhill attack. Reckless, brilliant, unforgettable, pure pogachar. The European stripes shimmerred across his shoulders as he crossed the line. Tarde Pagacha lifted his arms in Verz and for a moment the world seemed to pause. He had done it again. Another victory, another exhibition of audacity and control. This was his second win at the Trey Valley Veracine. The first came in 2022, but this one felt different. This time he arrived as both world and European champion already at the top. And somehow he still found a way to surprise everyone. To attack downhill, to defy convention, to win on his own terms. That’s Pogachar. Fearless, unpredictable, unstoppable. Behind him, chaos turned into resignation. Pitcock, Ragglitch, Bernal, Del Toro, they all chased, they all fought, but none could touch him. Pagacha hadn’t just beaten them with his legs. He had beaten them with his imagination. Because what separates him from the rest isn’t only his power, but his ability to think differently, to reinvent how races are won. Each move he makes feels like an act of rebellion against predictability. Today, that rebellion became art. But among the chasers, one rider stood out. Isaac Del Toro, just 21 years old, once again showed maturity far beyond his age. He was there when the UAE turned the race upside down. He helped launch the decisive attack. He never stopped believing. Every race confirms what many are starting to whisper. That Del Toro isn’t just learning from Pagacha. He’s preparing to follow in his footsteps. Not as a copy, but as a new expression of that same instinctive, fearless style. The kind that wins fans as quickly as it wins races. For UAE team Emirates XRG, it was another perfect day. Two generations, one vision. The present ruled by Pagacha. The future carried by Del Toro. Together, they’ve built more than a team. They’ve built an era. And as Pagacha raised his arms once again, you could almost feel the message he sent to the rest of the cycling world that every time he races, it’s not just a contest. It’s a reminder. When Tarde Pogachar rides, everyone else simply follows and applauds the inevitable.