Evenepoel targets another crucial showdown with Tadej Pogačar after record-breaking triumph

Remco Evenepoel is Mr Clásica San Sebastián — that much was clear once again on Saturday. The Belgian from Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe won the northern Spanish one-day race for a record-breaking fourth time, becoming the first rider in history to reach that total. His victory, achieved after a lengthy chase following a puncture, brought a long and demanding block of racing to a successful close, Evenepoel explained afterwards.

“This was the hardest of all four victories,” Evenepoel emphasised. Red Bull had the race completely under control until he rode over a piece of glass with just over 50 kilometres remaining and realised his tyre was losing air. A bike change became unavoidable, but because the race jury would not allow him to use the slipstream behind the team car to return, Evenepoel was forced into a chase lasting around 20 kilometres.

On the penultimate climb of the Erlaitz, Evenepoel was still around half a minute behind at the summit. His teammates then came to his rescue and helped bring him back towards the front before the final climb. “I had to stay calm, and thanks to my teammates I managed to get back to the front. All I had to do was finish off their brilliant work. What a day and what a beautiful victory.”

The Clásica San Sebastián marked the end of a demanding period for Evenepoel. During the two-and-a-half months leading up to the Tour de France, he had focused almost exclusively on training. That preparation paid off with two stage victories and second place in the general classification. It moved him one step higher on the podium than in 2024, when he finished third at the Tour.

Only Tadej Pogačar finished ahead of Evenepoel in Paris, and the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider will face him again later this year in a crucial battle in Canada. “I’m going to take some time to rest and recover now. Then I’ll start building up again, because I want to become world champion,” Evenepoel declared. The rainbow jersey will be decided in Montréal in September, with Pogačar having won each of the previous two men’s road race world titles.