Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel underlined their dominance at the 2025 European Championships in Drôme-Ardèche, France, held shortly after the World Championships in Rwanda at the end of September.
Highlights from the European Championships
On 1 October, Evenepoel won the time trial by a clear margin on a 24-kilometer course that was smoother and shorter than the Kigali test 10 days earlier. Filippo Ganna was the only rider to finish within a minute and took silver. Ganna also earned two silver medals with Italy, with the team missing mixed relay gold by seven seconds to France. He is set to race GranPiemonte on Thursday, 9 October.
The 202-kilometer road race in Guilherand-Granges proved punishing, with only 17 riders reaching the finish. Repeated attacks from Pavel Sivakov, Pogacar, and Evenepoel shattered the field. Among those in the hunt were Christian Scaroni, who placed fourth, Juan Ayuso in sixth, and Paul Seixas, a rising talent after standout performances at the Tour of the Alps and the Tour de l’Avenir and a rider to watch for Il Lombardia.
Sivakov secured bronze after Scaroni faded on the day’s final climb. Up front, Evenepoel distanced the chasers with about 40 kilometers remaining, while Pogacar had already surged clear around 75 kilometers from the line and held on alone to win, strengthening his status as the leading favorite for Il Lombardia on 11 October.
Pogacar later said he found himself alone at the front and focused on maintaining roughly a one-minute gap, pushing hard to the finish with Evenepoel in pursuit and feeling relieved at the end. The peloton now turns to one last major test: Il Lombardia, which finishes in Bergamo’s upper town. This upcoming race promises to be another thrilling event for cycling fans, showcasing the incredible talent and determination of the world’s best riders.