Photo finish European title
Remco Evenepoel wins the European road cycling title in a dramatic photo finish
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Evenepoel said the win completed his collection of major championship titles: “Now I have won all of the championships in pro cycling, so we can celebrate this one big time.” He had previously won the road race world title and multiple world and European time-trial titles.
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Ciccone declined to share the workload for much of the final lap, taking only one brief turn near the finish. He then used the inside line through the last corner to move ahead, but Evenepoel chased him down in the sprint.
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The race’s main climb was Možjanca, a 2.1-kilometre ascent averaging a 10.3% gradient; the men tackled it on each of five finishing circuits.
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An early breakaway of six riders was caught with 82 kilometres remaining, after which the Možjanca climbs progressively reduced the peloton; Spain’s Juan Ayuso was among those dropped.
Remco Evenepoel won the 2026 European Championships men's road race in Slovenia, edging Italy's Giulio Ciccone in a photo finish after a 196-kilometer battle. The New York Times reported that Evenepoel recovered from a crash during the decisive late move and surged past Ciccone at the line to claim his first European road title. The victory completes his collection of major cycling championships.
Evenepoel said the win capped his career milestones: "Now I have won all of the championships in pro cycling, so we can celebrate this one big time." ProCyclingUK noted that Christian Scaroni of Italy finished third, 59 seconds back. The race unfolded over five circuits featuring Možjanca, a 2.1-kilometre climb with a 10.3% average gradient.
Ciccone's Gamble and the Final Sprint
Ciccone made an aggressive move with 36 kilometers left, but he refused to share the workload on the final lap. Sport Quotidiano reported that the Italian rider took only one brief turn near the finish line. He then dove to the inside through the last corner to move ahead, but Evenepoel chased him down in the final meters to snatch victory.
Evenepoel Bounces Back From World Championships Letdown
The European title comes as a redemption arc for Evenepoel. Outside Online reported that he had delivered a disappointing performance at the recent world championships road race. This victory resets his narrative and adds to his resume of world and European time-trial titles alongside his prior road race world championship.
Early Breakaway Fades as Možjanca Splinters the Peloton
Six riders broke away early but were caught with 82 kilometers remaining. ProCyclingUK noted that once the early move was reeled in, the repeated Možjanca climbs progressively reduced the peloton. Spain's Juan Ayuso was among the notable riders dropped as the field whittled down to just the strongest climbers and finishers heading into the final circuits.
A Crash Does Not Stop Evenepoel's Charge
Evenepoel crashed during the final decisive move but recovered quickly to challenge Ciccone. Yahoo Sports reported that despite the crash, the Belgian rider regrouped and found the speed to contest the sprint. His mental toughness and physical recovery in those critical moments proved decisive in securing the narrowest of margins at the line.
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