Can anyone stop Remco Evenepoel? - 2026 San Sebastian Klasikoa preview

Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) is the headline name. The three time winner returns less than a week after finishing second at the Tour de France, where he also won two stages.

Defending champion Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) will also be on the start line. The Italian won last year after attacking on Murgil Tontorra and distancing Jan Christen before the summit.

Marc Hirschi (Tudor), the 2024 winner, is another former champion set to return. Evenepoel won in 2022 and 2023, while Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost) took victory in 2021.

The 2026 San Sebastián Klasikoa covers 221.2 kilometres and includes 4,284 metres of climbing.

As usual, the route is packed with short, steep ascents, but the main obstacles come late in the race. Jaizkibel, Erlaitz and Murgil Tontorra are likely to decide who reaches San Sebastián with a chance of winning.

Jaizkibel is the first major test, with eight kilometres of climbing at an average of 5.4 per cent. It is where the peloton is likely to begin thinning out before the race heads almost immediately onto Erlaitz.

Erlaitz is shorter but far steeper. The climb measures 3.8 kilometres at 11 per cent, with long sections in double digits and gradients reaching more than 13 per cent. It could prove decisive, even with 42.5 kilometres still to race after the summit.

The riders then pass the finish line for a second time before heading towards Murgil Tontorra, the final climb of the day.

Murgil is only two kilometres long, but its average gradient of 9.8 per cent does not tell the full story. The road reaches 18.5 per cent in places, making it an obvious launchpad for a late attack.

It was here that Giulio Ciccone made his winning move in 2025. From the summit, only the descent and the final run into San Sebastián remain.

There is little doubt over the main favourite. Three time winner Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) starts as the rider to beat.

The Belgian arrives after finishing second at the Tour de France, where he also won two stages. He has already shown that he can win in San Sebastián in different ways, either by attacking from distance or by settling the race in a sprint, as he did against Pello Bilbao in 2023.

The final ascent of Murgil Tontorra looks like the obvious place for Evenepoel to make his move.

Defending champion Giulio Ciccone is likely to provide the strongest challenge. The Lidl-Trek rider skipped the Tour de France and should arrive fresher than many of his rivals.

Ciccone has the acceleration required for the steepest part of the finale and knows exactly where the race can be won. The question is whether he can follow Evenepoel when the Belgian attacks, or whether he will choose to move first.

Giulio Pellizzari gives Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe another option. The Italian has shown that the climbing is unlikely to trouble him, although he has far less experience in major one day races. 

His fourth place on Superga earlier this season suggested he can also handle a short and explosive finish.

Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious) comes to San Sebastián after finishing fifth at the Tour. The Frenchman rode particularly well in the high mountains and also has the acceleration to compete on shorter climbs. Murgil Tontorra should suit him, provided he has recovered from three weeks of racing.

Local hopes will rest partly on Alex Aranburu. The Cofidis rider has the climbing ability to survive the final ascents and the speed to finish the job from a reduced group. Racing in the Basque Country should provide extra motivation.

Mauro Schmid (Jayco AlUla) arrives after taking a breakaway victory at the Tour de France, the first WorldTour win of his career. He is well suited to an aggressive race and cannot be given too much freedom before the final climb.

After an impressive Tour in support of his teammates, Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) also comes into the race in strong climbing form. His instinctive style makes him a threat if the race opens up early.

The route should suit Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto-Intermarché), although a broken rib affected his Tour de France. Much will depend on how well he has recovered before the decisive climbs of Erlaitz and Murgil.

Back in San Sebastián for the first time since 2021, Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike) will hope to build on an encouraging final week at the Tour after a difficult start to the race.

Outsiders to look out for include: Dylan Teuns (Cofidis), Noa Isidore (Decathlon CMA CGM), Christian Scaroni (XDS Astana),Gianmarco Garofoli (Soudal Quick-Step), Emiel Verstrynge (Alpecin-Premier Tech), and Jarno Widar (Lotto-Intermarché).

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️  Remco Evenepoel
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️  Giulio Ciccone
⭐️⭐️⭐️  Giulio Pellizzari, Lenny Martinez, Alex Aranburu,
⭐️⭐️  Lennert Van Eetvelt, Quinn Simmons, Mauro Schmid, Matteo Jorgenson, Christian Scaroni
⭐️  Dylan Teuns, Noa Isidore, Gianmarco Garofoli, Emiel Verstrynge, Jarno Widar