Tadei Pogachar was questioned before Il Lombardia about his dominance and the allegations it has engendered, but also about his hopes and ambitions for the final race in 2024.

The leader of UAE Team Emirates is hoping to equal Fausto Coppi, who won the Italian monument four times in a row between 1946 and 1949.

Pogachar insisted he is not in Tour de France form, but after taking a rest after his third yellow victory and missing the Olympics, he looks the strongest and freshest rider in the peloton. He dominated the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France, and opened the season with an 80km solo attack at Strade Bianche. And now he is about to close out the year with his 25th win of the season.

“I stopped counting my wins. I just go from race to race and go with the flow. I just want to have a good time with the team.” On Friday afternoon, Pogachar trained for the last time in the hills of Bergamo.

“It's a good race and I'm feeling good. With the World Champion jersey I can enjoy these races more. I'm ready to give it my all one last time and run full throttle.”

Pogachar refuted the notion that it would be a bigger surprise if he did not win Il Lombardia.

“In cycling, winning is never easy.

“The main thing for me is to enjoy the race. It's not the end of the world if I have a bad result or don't finish the race.”

Lemko Evenepoel is Pogachar's biggest rival, but admits he is running out of energy after a long, hard and successful season. Primos Roglic, like the other riders, is already done for the season, and Tom Pidcock was a late entrant after being sent off by Ineos Grenadiers.

Other riders seem resigned to competing for the podium along with Pogachar.

“This may not have been his best week, but it's hard to be mentally prepared for the end of the season and for races in miserable weather,” Pogachal said of Evenpoel.

“I think Lombardia is different. He is mentally prepared for the big race and I think he will do well.”