"Climbing doesn’t come very naturally to him" - Coach explains why Remco Evenepoel climbing level wasn't good enough for Il Lombardia
Cycling
Remco Evenepoel has had a mixed end to the season. Despite taking the European Championships victory earlier this month, the Belgian suffered disappointments at both the World Championships and most recently, Il Lombardia.
The Red Bull - BORA Hansgrohe rider was among the favourites on Saturday in the Italian classic. His team worked hard at the front of the peloton for most of the race, notably Giulio Pellizzari and Primoz Roglic's turns at the front as the race headed for the finale in the San Fermo and Civiglio climbs.
But when UAE started to set a tough pace followed by Paul Seixas's blazing attack, ultimately leading to the 20-year-old's victory, Evenepoel's challenge for the win faltered as he struggled to lead the chase of the Decathlon CMA CGM rider.
Like the World Championships finale that also saw Evenepoel struggle, he surged on the downhill and flat sections to recover and finished fourth place. Netherlands Women's National Coach, laurens ten Dam, believes that his strengths are underestimated.
“You almost start to take for granted what that guy can do with his legs,” Ten Dam said on the Live Slow Ride Fast podcast.
Remco Evenepoel in action at Il Lombardia 2026
Ten Dam on Evenepoel's climbing level
“But of course, it’s not normal. To dominate that race like that, even with other contenders in the mix. Five-star favorite Remco Evenepoel had his teammate Pellizzari ride at the front until he couldn’t go any further. That’s when Seixas thought: ‘Hold my beer.’”
Multiple analysts have commented on the Belgian's weight impacting his performances in climbs. The Belgian performed well at the Tour de France while in his lightweight general classification shape. However, at Il Lombardia, he was noticeably heavier after his focus on the time trial at the World Championships. Ten Dam believes that his added power also helped him over the line at the European Championships.
“He’s just a few kilos heavier than he was in the Tour. Climbing doesn’t come very naturally to him. You can see that here, too. Both at the World Championships and here on the longer climbs, he really struggles.
"At the European Championships, he was still able to fake it—he could survive on his power output. But even there, he didn’t manage to break away from Ciccone.”
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“He’s still vulnerable on climbs, unless he follows a full training regiment"
While Evenepoel can reach high levels when it comes to climbing, he believes that it takes specific preparation while that shape doesn't tend to stay for extended periods as his body favours weight gain.
Looking ahead to future Il Lombardia editions, ten Dam believes a well prepared Evenepoel can follow Seixas's attack and beat him in a sprint to the line. However, if Tadej Pogacar is present, beating him will be more difficult.
“He’s still vulnerable on climbs, unless he follows a full training regiment for a few months. But it’s not as if he can maintain that for a few months. His body is built for muscle gain—he puts on weight quickly.
“If he follows Seixas, he’ll beat him in the sprint too. If Tadej gets back to his old form, he’ll obviously still be the one to beat in Lombardy.”
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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