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Remco Evenepoel ended a frustrating stretch of near-misses on Sunday by winning the European road cycling championship in Slovenia, beating Italy's Giulio Ciccone by the narrowest of margins after a frantic sprint that required a photo finish to separate the two riders.
The Belgian's victory came just one week after he finished at the head of the chasing group at the world championships in Montreal, where American rider Brandon McNulty took the rainbow jersey. That disappointment weighed heavily on Evenepoel, making Sunday's triumph in Sencur all the more meaningful for the 2022 world champion.
Evenepoel described the win as "incredible" and admitted he was unsure whether he had actually crossed the line first until officials confirmed the result. The photo finish revealed he had pipped Ciccone at the death in a race that had been expected to favour the Belgian but which tested him far more than many anticipated.
"It's a big relief to be back on a good level today and to complete my championship jerseys so it feels amazing," said Evenepoel, who has now collected European titles in both the road race and time trial disciplines. He previously won European time trial gold in 2019 and again in 2025, adding the road crown to his growing collection of continental honours.
The 25-year-old had been installed as the pre-race favourite largely because of who was missing from the start list. Tadej Pogacar, the all-conquering Slovenian who won this race twelve months ago and holds a joint-record five Tour de France titles, was forced to sit out with an injury. The absence of the sport's biggest star in his home country removed what many considered Evenepoel's most formidable rival.
Several other notable names were also absent, further shaping the complexion of the race. Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard, French prospect Paul Seixas, Britain's Tom Pidcock and Dutch star Mathieu van der Poel all stayed away, leaving a depleted field that nevertheless produced a compelling contest.
Pogacar's presence was still felt despite his injury. The Slovenian appeared from the window of a car along the route in the capital Ljubljana, drawing cheers from local supporters when he helped fire the starting gun. The gesture underscored how much the home crowd had hoped to see their hero compete.
The 196-kilometre route through the Slovenian Alps provided a dramatic backdrop for the racing, with the postcard mountain scenery setting the stage for the decisive moves. With 36 kilometres remaining, Belgium's Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe squad launched Evenepoel up the road, and only Ciccone could follow.
The pair's cooperation was briefly disrupted when Evenepoel slid on the tarmac while navigating a corner. The crash could have cost him the race, but Ciccone opted to ease off the pace rather than press home any advantage, preferring to conserve energy for the final kilometres. Evenepoel was able to regain contact, and the two riders remained locked together into the closing stages.
The finale took place in Sencur, where the riders completed five laps of a 22.1-kilometre circuit. The repeated laps created a tense, tactical battle, with neither rider able to establish a decisive gap. It came down to a final dash to the line, and even then the outcome was too close to call with the naked eye.
Christian Scaroni, Ciccone's Italian compatriot, finished third, nearly a minute adrift of the leading duo. The gap to the chasing group underlined how effectively Evenepoel and Ciccone had distanced themselves in the closing kilometres.
For Evenepoel, the victory carries added significance given his history in this race. He had twice finished as runner-up in the European road race, taking second place in 2021 and again last year. Those near-misses, combined with his world championship disappointment the previous weekend, made Sunday's result a cathartic moment.
The win also demonstrates Evenepoel's resilience after the emotional toll of Montreal. He had arrived at the worlds among the favourites and finished in the elite group chasing McNulty, a result that left him hungry for redemption. Less than seven days later, he delivered on that ambition.
Ciccone, meanwhile, will be left to wonder what might have been had he attacked after Evenepoel's slide. His decision to hold back and conserve energy proved tactically sound in keeping him in contention, but it ultimately left him a fraction short when the sprint unfolded. Scaroni's third place provided some consolation for the Italian team.
The European championships continue to grow in prestige, and Evenepoel's presence as a marquee name added credibility to the event, even in the absence of Pogacar and other stars. For the Belgian, adding the continental road title to his palmares strengthens a resume that already includes Olympic gold in the road race from Paris 2024.
Evenepoel's victory also highlights the depth of Belgian cycling, with his Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe team executing their race plan effectively in the closing stages. Launching their leader with 36 kilometres to go forced rivals to respond, and only Ciccone had the legs to do so.
The result leaves Evenepoel in a strong position heading into the remainder of the season, with the confidence of a major title behind him. Having completed his set of European championship jerseys, he can now turn his attention to future objectives with the reassurance that he remains among the very best in the sport.
For the wider cycling world, Sunday's race offered a reminder that even without the biggest names, the sport can produce gripping drama. The photo finish in Sencur will be remembered as one of the tighter conclusions to a major championship in recent memory, decided by the thinnest of margins after nearly 200 kilometres of racing.
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