'I didn’t come here for fourth place' - Remco Evenepoel disappointed after suffering at Il Lombardia

Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) won the sprint for fourth place in Como but was disappointed with his performance and final result at Il Lombardia.

When Paul Seixas attacked on the Civiglio climb with 19km to go, Evenepoel was unable to react, along with the likes of Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) and others.

Enric Mas (Movistar) and Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) were the closest to Seixas in the final kilometres of the climb and eventually filled the final podium, while Evenepoel had to fight to save his pride and his race in the sprint. 

He beat world champion Brandon McNulty and Tom Pidcock in the nine-rider sprint but it was of little consolation.

"I didn’t come here for fourth place, but there wasn’t much more in me. I always want to win, but my legs wouldn’t allow it," Evenepoel told the Flemish media that followed him to his team bus on the edge of Lake Como, sportingly praising Seixas on his performance.

"What Seixas did is immensely strong. It was a deserved victory," he said.

"I felt good all day. Everything went according to plan and we had everything under control, but in the last hour of the race I didn't feel at my best anymore. My legs seized up. It wasn't my best day on the bike, but it wasn't my worst either. We have nothing to reproach ourselves about."

Evenepoel suggested he is feeling the fatigue of his long 2026 season, perhaps a reason for his below-par performance at the World Championships and now Il Lombardia. He will finally end his season at next Sunday's Chrono des Nations time trial in France.

"It has already been a long year. In the summer, I went from very good days to slightly less good ones. Next week I’m going to give it my all for another 45 minutes, and then it’s over," he concluded.