Remco Evenepoel claimed a historic victory at the Clásica San Sebastián, becoming the sole record holder in the Basque classic with four career titles. Racing for sporza.be, the double Olympic champion triumphed over Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz in a two-man sprint after 221.1 kilometers of racing from San Sebastián to San Sebastián.
Remco Evenepoel Secures Historic Fourth Victory at Clásica San Sebastián
The achievement lifts the Belgian rider past the previous record of three wins held by Spanish rider Marino Lejarreta, who achieved his victories in the 1980s. According to VRT, the success follows closely on the heels of his second-place finish in the Tour de France just one week prior.
Mechanical Trouble and a Chaotic Chase
Evenepoel’s path to victory was severely tested by mechanical adversity during the race. Following a flat tire on the descent of the Jaizkibel just before the Erlaitz climb, the Belgian was forced into a lengthy and isolated chase. As detailed by EuropeSays, he found himself facing a two-minute deficit against the leaders.
“After that flat tire I had to return on a gap of two minutes,” Evenepoel explained. “In that climb I therefore had to drive faster than the men at the front. Fortunately I was able to stay calm and everything turned out well.”
The rider also noted that race officials quickly established barriers and required the group behind team cars to keep driving, complicating his return. Despite the chaos, he maintained composure, eventually bridging the gap 20 kilometers later before deploying teammate Maxim Van Gils at the front of a reduced peloton.
Decisive Ascent and Sprint Victory
On the final climb, the Murgil Tontorra, Evenepoel unleashed an attack that shattered the remaining group. Only Richard Carapaz, who demonstrated strong climbing form during the Tour de France, managed to cling to his wheel. The two leaders collaborated through the closing kilometers toward the finish line.
Entering the final stretch, Evenepoel launched his sprint from afar, leaving Carapaz unable to respond. British rider Ben Tulett finished 29 seconds behind the leading duo, securing third place in a group sprint.
Final Standings
The top finishers at the 2026 Clásica San Sebastián, according to Sporza, are as follows:
- 1. Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) — 5:23’10”
- 2. Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) — z.t.
- 3. Ben Tulett (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) — +29″
- 4. Christian Scaroni (Astana Qazaqstan Team) — z.t.
- 5. Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious)
- 6. Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek)
- 7. Jan Christen (UAE Team Emirates)
- 8. Marc Hirschi (Tudor Pro Cycling Team)
- 9. Marcel Camprubi (Pinarello Q36.5)
- 10. Léo Bisiaux (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team)
Looking Ahead to Future Goals
Following the race, Evenepoel shared a celebratory embrace with his wife, Oumi, calling it his most difficult victory among his four triumphs at the event despite having his best-ever physical feeling on the course. Looking past a brief period of rest, he outlined his upcoming athletic schedule to EuropeSays.
“First I’m going to rest for a bit,” Evenepoel said. “Then I will leave on an altitude training camp again and try to become world champion.”
