'He was by far the strongest': Ciccone and Charmig on chasing Evenepoel in Québec

Giulio Ciccone and Anthon Charmig filled the podium places behind Remco Evenepoel at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec. Neither disputed that the Belgian had done the work.

Evenepoel bridged to a 14-rider move with 41 kilometres remaining, attacked again at 28, and was down to two companions with two laps left. Charmig was dropped 1.7 kilometres from the line and Ciccone beaten in the sprint.

"I was in the front with Remco and I was really suffering, so I have to say congrats to him, because he was doing most of the job," Ciccone said. "Finally I finished second."

Charmig put numbers on it.

"I just tried to help Remco a bit. I think he was by far the strongest. I took maybe ten-second turns and he was doing, I don't know, a few minutes each time," the Dane said. "So I think it was a well-deserved win for him, for sure."

Charmig had been in an earlier move too, which was not the plan.

"Actually the plan was to wait a bit for the final, but I saw how the race developed and then I knew it was just about getting up the road," he said. "Last year I did a bit of the same. I know it's a good way to race this race, so I'm happy."

Uno-X Mobility raced aggressively throughout, with Storm Ingebrigtsen also in the day's early breakaway. Lidl-Trek did the same, Quinn Simmons spending time in a large chase group before finishing fifth at 30 seconds.

"We tried to cover all the movements in the front. Sometimes you have to be lucky to be in the right place at the right moment," Ciccone said. "As a team I think we were three or four guys in the front, so it was a super strong performance."

Simmons sitting behind changed how Ciccone rode the finale.

"I knew on the radio that behind was close, so I tried to be smart in the front. But Remco was super strong also in the sprint. I did my best and I should be happy like this."

Montréal follows on Sunday, a harder race on a longer circuit. It will be Ciccone's first time there.

"The shape is good, so let's see what I can do," he said.

Charmig built his late season around the two Canadian races after crashing out of the Tour de France.

"That was a big disappointment for me, so I got home, recovered and set the target on these Canadian races," he said. "I'm happy to be in good shape."