Evenepoel Edges Ciccone in Photo Finish to Claim European Road Race Title

Remco Evenepoel added the European road race championship to his growing collection of titles on Sunday, winning a dramatic two-man sprint against Italy's Giulio Ciccone that required a photo finish to separate the pair at the line in Sencur, Slovenia.

The Belgian, who won Olympic road race gold in 2024, crossed the line marginally ahead of Ciccone after nearly 196 kilometres of racing through the Alpine landscapes that make Slovenia one of European cycling's most picturesque settings. Christian Scaroni of Italy completed the podium in third, arriving almost a full minute behind the leading duo, a gap that underlined just how closely matched the two front-runners were on the day.

For Evenepoel, the victory carried significance beyond the medal itself. It came just one week after he finished among the elite chasing group behind American winner Brandon McNulty at the world championships in Montreal, a result that left the Belgian frustrated and searching for redemption. The 2022 world champion described the European title as a form of recovery from that disappointment.

"It's incredible," Evenepoel said after the race. "I thought I had won, but you can never be sure." He added that the performance had been physically and mentally demanding given the emotional letdown of the worlds, describing his return to top form as a considerable relief.

The victory also completed a notable personal collection for the 25-year-old, who has now claimed European titles in both the road race and the time trial. He previously won the continental time trial crown in 2019 and again in 2025, and had twice finished as runner-up in the European road race, in 2021 and again last year. Sunday's win, he said, meant "completing my championship jerseys."

The race unfolded across a demanding 196-kilometre course that began in the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana, before heading into the Alps and finishing with five laps of a 22.1-kilometre circuit centred on Sencur. With 36 kilometres remaining, Belgium's Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe squad launched Evenepoel into an attack, and only Ciccone, riding for Trek-Segafredo, was able to follow.

What followed was a tense cat-and-mouse sequence. Evenepoel slid on the tarmac at a corner, a moment that could have cost him the race. But Ciccone, choosing to conserve energy for the closing kilometres rather than press his advantage, allowed the Belgian to regain contact. The two riders then remained locked together until the final metres, with neither able to establish a decisive gap.

The complexion of the race was shaped significantly by the absence of several of the sport's biggest names. Tadej Pogacar, the Slovenian superstar who won this race twelve months ago and who shares the record for Tour de France victories with five titles, was forced to miss the event through injury. The race was held in his home country, and his absence was keenly felt by local supporters.

Other marquee riders were also missing from the start list. Danish general classification specialist Jonas Vingegaard, rising French talent Paul Seixas, British Classics specialist Tom Pidcock, and Dutch former world champion Mathieu van der Poel all stayed away. That stripped the race of much of its star power and left Evenepoel as the clear pre-race favourite, a status he ultimately justified, though only just.

Pogacar, despite not competing, made his presence felt in another way. He appeared from the window of a car along the route to fire the starting gun in Ljubljana, drawing cheers from fans who had gathered to see their hometown hero. His cameo served as a reminder of the void left by his injury, and of the anticipation surrounding his eventual return to competition.

Evenepoel's victory also demonstrated the strength of the Belgian national setup, which executed its race plan effectively in the closing stages. The decision to launch him with 36 kilometres remaining forced rivals into a reaction mode, and only Ciccone possessed the legs and tactical awareness to respond. The Italian's decision to ease rather than attack after Evenepoel's crash will likely be debated, as it ultimately preserved the Belgian's chance to contest the sprint.

The photo finish itself added a layer of drama to an already gripping finale. Evenepoel admitted he could not be certain of the outcome until the result was confirmed, a reflection of how finely balanced the sprint had been. Such margins are familiar in one-day racing, where positioning, timing, and a fraction of a wheel can determine a season's narrative.

For Ciccone, the result represented both a career highlight and a painful near-miss. The Italian has long been regarded as a talented climber and stage hunter, and pushing a rider of Evenepoel's calibre to the line on a course suited to puncheurs and rouleurs demonstrated his versatility. Scaroni's third place, meanwhile, gave Italy two riders on the podium, a strong team performance even without the top step.

The European championships have grown in prestige in recent years, offering riders a continental title that sits alongside world and national honours. For Evenepoel, victory in Slovenia continues a career trajectory that already includes Olympic gold, a world road title, world time trial titles, and a Vuelta a España overall win. At 25, he remains one of the most complete riders of his generation.

The result also carries implications for the remainder of the season and beyond. A confident, winning Evenepoel is a formidable prospect in any race he enters, and the psychological boost of bouncing back from world championship disappointment could shape his approach to upcoming targets. For Belgian cycling, the win reinforces a deep talent pool and a knack for delivering on the biggest one-day occasions.

Ciccone, meanwhile, will take encouragement from a performance that confirms his ability to compete at the sharp end of championship racing, even against specialists. The Italian's decision-making in the final 30 kilometres will be analysed, but his podium finish remains a significant achievement in a race featuring several of the sport's strongest one-day riders.

Ultimately, Sunday's race delivered a finish worthy of the setting: two riders, separated by millimetres, contesting a title through the Alpine foothills of Slovenia. Evenepoel's name now sits on the European road race roll of honour alongside a growing list of accolades, while Ciccone is left to wonder what might have been had he pressed on after his rival's crash.