The crash-battered world champion’s skinsuit that Tadej Pogačar wore when riding to victory in Milan-San Remo has been sold at auction for €95,100.
At the end of March, when we first reported on the auction, with 13 days until it closed, the highest bid was €60,100. With the auction now over, the winning bid of €95,100 makes the skinsuit one of the most valuable cycling jerseys ever.
The skinsuit’s new owner is American Karl McDonell, CEO of a US education and tech company, who will be presented with the jersey at this year’s Pogi Challenge in Slovenia.
“I would say meeting Tadej in person and receiving the jersey from him will be one of the most special moments of my life, a true bucket-list event, that I will forever remember and tell friends and family about for years,” says McDonell.
This year’s Pogi Challenge takes place at the end of July and has a simple premise: participants set off up Pogačar‘s favourite 15km, 1,189m elevation-gain climb in Slovenia six minutes before Pogačar and try not to be overtaken by him.
Last year, of 1,189 riders only one reached the top ahead of him. Andrew Feather, a 40-year-old British lawyer, arrived at the finish line more than three minutes ahead of Pogačar. Feather does have form though, having been UK hill climb champion in 2019.
The skinsuit will be presented to McDonell by Pogačar at this year’s Pogi Challenge. GalaBid.com
McDonell already owns Pogačar’s white jersey from the 2023 Tour de France, when he was GC runner-up to Jonas Vingegaard, and intends to have the ripped skinsuit framed and mounted alongside it.
Pogačar has pledged to match the winning bid, with the proceeds going to his Tadej Pogačar foundation, which supports children and young people facing serious illness.
“I am truly thrilled that the jersey reached such an incredible price. It means a lot to me to see this level of support, and I am deeply grateful that the funds will be directed into the programs of the Tadej Pogačar Foundation,” Pogačar says.