European Championship: Evenepoel beats Ciccone by millimetres

Remco Evenepoel was crowned European champion after winning the men's road race at the 2026 European Road Championships in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

At the finish line in Šenčur, the Belgian champion defeated a monumental Giulio Ciccone in a photo-finish, beating him by just millimetres after a breathtaking two-man sprint.

The 196.3-kilometer route, featuring the double-digit gradients of the Možjanca climb, was a highly selective affair from the very beginning. Without home favorite Tadej Pogačar, absent due to injury, the race exploded on the final circuit under the impetus of the most eagerly awaited nations.

Evenepoel and Ciccone attempted to break away on the penultimate lap, but a crash by the Belgian changed the outcome. The two eventually managed to break away and continued together to the finish line: Ciccone attempted to get ahead with a strong final turn, but the Belgian regrouped and finished level with the Lidl-Trek rider. The unclear photo finish gave Evenepoel the win. Scaroni took third place.