Photo via Cyclingnews

'World Championships were just a snapshot' – Back to full confidence, Remco Evenepoel says victory at Il Lombardia would make 2026 his 'best season yet'

Remco Evenepoel is targeting a historic victory at Il Lombardia in 2026 to complete a chapter defined by one of cycling’s most harrowing crashes. Six years after fracturing his pelvis and suffering a lung contusion in a brutal descent at the 2020 edition—where he plunged over a bridge wall near the Colma di Sormano—Evenepoel has returned with renewed confidence.

Though the 2026 route omits that infamous climb, he acknowledged the emotional weight of the race during a recent reconnaissance, passing the hospital where he was treated after the accident. A win would not only cap what he calls his 'best season yet' but also provide a definitive closure to the trauma, even as he insists the past won’t dictate his performance.

Without five-time defending champion Tadej Pogačar in the field due to injury, Evenepoel enters as a favorite alongside Isaac del Toro, Paul Seixas, and Giulio Ciccone, though he downplayed expectations, noting the race’s tactical demands and varied terrain—including two long valleys and a punishing finale—will test even the strongest contenders. His recent second-place finish at the European Championships and strong form in the time trial at the World Championships have restored his belief in another podium push, though he admitted the absence of Pogačar opens the door for a more unpredictable outcome than the dominance seen in recent years.

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