As he wanted and where he wanted. Tadej Pogacar also wins the European Championship

Despite knowing what was going to happen, Tadej Pogacar does it again. This time the chosen moment was 76 km from the finish, when the Belgian team was growing stronger and the Slovenian was left without teammates. A strong and sustained attack, Evenepoel tries to follow him but ends up exploding like the others and the end of the story: Tadej Pogacar new European Cycling Champion. Remco Evenepoel takes the silver.

Tadej Pogacar makes the difficult look easy again and gives us another exhibition at the European Championship

Some say that cycling with Tadej Pogacar is boring. It is true in terms of excitement, since if he is in the race, he will most likely win it and the rest will only fight for the second step of the podium. But let's never take away those tremendous rides from Tadej Pogacar, who does not hesitate to attack from distances that were once considered impossible, without looking back and with full confidence in his pace and strength.

The 2025 European Cycling Championship offered a classic-style route very similar to Il Lombardia or Liege, and obviously, the Slovenian was the main favorite. The desire of Remco Evenepoel to shake off the defeat at the Kigali World Championships or the presence of a Jonas Vingegaard willing to open new territories in one-day races added a bit of uncertainty.

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The race started with the ascent to the Moulin a Vent pass, perfect for the breakaway of the day to form, however, it was not until almost at the top when a trio with Daan Hoole, Mathijs Paasschens, and Mathias Vacek stood out as its members. In the subsequent flat section, attacks continued for tens of kilometers without any of them succeeding until, just before the first passage through the finish line that marked the beginning of the two circuits that the cyclists had to complete, another breakaway was formed, 12 units, with already interesting names like Louis Vervaeke, Casper Pedersen, Frigo, Prodhomme, or Lagellotti.

The first of the three laps on the long circuit, with the Saint Romain de Lerps pass as a reference point, passed calmly. However, it would be on the second lap when Belgium tried to shake up the race with still 109 km to go. A move that served to create a first selection in the group and left Jonas Vingegaard totally exhausted.

On the descent, Pavel Sivakov attacked and a small breakaway was formed with Remco Evenepoel, Matthias Skjelmose, Juan Ayuso, and Matej Mohoric. A breakaway that could be dangerous but ultimately went nowhere and was neutralized in the subsequent flat section.

After the pass, at another key point like the Val d'Enfer wall, where the first hard attack would come from Jan Christen, a move that Remco Evenepoel followed and, finally, the Slovenian responded in person, easily. A move that Paul Seixas also latched onto, showing the potential of the rider who is only 19 years old. Let's hope that the label of "the next Frenchman to win the Tour de France" doesn't weigh him down because there is a lot of talent in those legs.

We reached the last lap of the long circuit with the peloton regrouped and Belgium increasing the pace by having Remco Evenepoel with two teammates against none for Pogacar. However, the Slovenian did not speculate with the situation and, practically at the beginning of the ascent to Saint Romain de Lerps, he attacked, not in a dry and inhuman way but in a progressive attack. Initially, Remco Evenepoel held on to him but the Belgian ended up suffocated by Pogacar's relentless pace, leaving him out of the race. Game Over. The race was decided 76 kilometers from the finish.

In the remaining part of the climb, the positions would be consolidated after Remco was caught first by Paul Seixas and, a little later, by a duo formed by Juan Ayuso and Christian Scaroni. However, the weight of the chase was almost entirely on Remco Evenepoel, so the reproaches and distrust between them began, more focused on the silver medal than on trying to catch up with Pogacar's advantage of over a minute.

With this perspective behind, what had to happen would happen. With 38 km to go, on a new climb to the Val d'Enfer wall, almost at the top, Remco Evenepoel attacked strongly and went solo, securing the silver medal as he opened a generous gap easily. As they passed the finish line, with 2 laps to go, Pogacar's advantage was 1:05 and the prospect of the chase added some excitement to the race, but no, the next passage through the finish line showed the same difference.

Only the bronze medal was left to be decided, and its resolution would begin to take shape on the last ascent to Val d'Enfer. Paul Seixas accelerated, dropping Juan Ayuso, while Scaroni initially held onto his wheel but struggled to keep up until, at the end of the climb, he increased the pace to manage to drop him. However, the Italian managed to crown the climb just a few seconds ahead, maintaining hope of winning a medal at this European Championship.

But, on the subsequent climbs before the descent, Seixas attacked again with the explosiveness of his 19 years to finally open a definitive gap that would earn him a bronze medal.

2025 European Cycling Championship Classification

1. Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia) 4h59'29''
2. Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) +31''
3. Paul Seixas (France) +3'41''
4. Christian Scaroni (Italy) +4'04''
5. Toms Skujins (Latvia) +4'16''
6. Juan Ayuso (Spain) +4'21''
7. Matthias Skjemose (Denmark) +5'01''
8. Pavel Sivakov (France) +5'55''
9. Gianmarco Garofolli (Italy) +5'59''
10. Romain Grégoire (France) +6'52''