Photo via Cyclingnews

'I haven't found my top form since the Tour de France' – Remco Evenepoel comes up short at Il Lombardia

Belgian cyclist Remco Evenepoel, the reigning European road race champion and Tour de France runner-up, struggled to replicate his peak form at this year’s Il Lombardia, finishing fourth in the grueling one-day classic. Despite entering the race as a favorite and delivering strong performances earlier in the season—including victories at the Grand Prix de Québec, the European Championships road race, and the World Championships time trial—Evenepoel’s race unraveled on the Civiglio climb, where French rider Paul Seixas dominated.

The Belgian admitted to lingering fatigue and inconsistent fitness since his Tour de France, noting that while he felt physically capable, his legs weighed heavily during the race’s most demanding sections. Earlier in the event, a breakaway featuring World Champion Brandon McNulty, Matteo Jorgenson, and Quinn Simmons had briefly disrupted the peloton, but Evenepoel’s Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team managed to regroup the field before the decisive ascent.

Evenepoel’s season had been marked by highs, including wins in the San Sebastián Classic and early races like the Amstel Gold Race, but his form has fluctuated since June, with both standout races and weaker outings. The result underscored the challenges of maintaining peak condition across a grueling campaign, as Evenepoel acknowledged his inability to match the day’s strongest riders on the final climbs.

Up nextCycling· 2h ago

'I just went into the red and that was it' – Tom Pidcock pays for following Paul Seixas' race-winning move in Il Lombardia