European cycling federation release definitive statement after Ciccone disputes photo finish - "Not a traditional photograph"
Cycling
The European cycling federation has released a definitive statement following Giulio Ciccone's questioning of the photo finish at the end of the 2026 European Championships elite men's road race. Remco Evenepoel was awarded the European title in Slovenia in a two-up sprint with the Italian.
After the podium presentation, Ciccone took to Instagram on Monday to question the result, requesting to see a photo from the "real finish line" as he revealed that he cannot accept the result.
Ciccone claimed: “This morning, the race commissioners, together with the federation’s technical staff, explained to me how it works and what criteria were used in interpreting the photo finish.
"So I am not asking for a new explanation. I do, however, ask to see a real photo finish that corresponds exactly to the actual finish line.
He added: “I want to start with something that is beyond dispute for me: Remco was the strongest rider yesterday. He rode like a champion, knew how to read and manage a complex race, and delivered an extraordinary performance. We, all of Italy, tried in every possible way to counter that. I have enormous respect for him; I do not want to call that into question.”
Remco Evenepoel outsprinted Giulio Ciccone in a photo-finish at the European Championships
"I have watched the available footage hundreds of times"
With the pair separated by just millimetres, it took some time before the winner was officially declared.
He added: “The title was decided by a difference of 0.0028 seconds [data states it is 0.00028 seconds, ed.]. That is 2.8 thousandths. I have watched the available footage hundreds of times—the footage where the finish line is visible. I cannot reconcile what I see there with the result.”
On Monday evening, the federation released a statement breaking down the process of how their photo finish system worked. Explaining that apparent discrepencies in the photo, the federation claimed that it can determine a race winner with "extreme precision".
“The photo finish system used at the European Championships records the finish line 13,000 times per second, making it possible to determine the order of finish with extreme precision, even in the case of minimal differences," Union Européenne de Cyclisme (UEC) said in a statement.
Read also
EUC statement on photo finish
In terms of Ciccone's request to see the "real finish line", the federation pointed out that the technology doesn't produce a traditional on the line image.
“It is important to clarify that the photo finish is not a traditional photograph. The final image is composed of the chronological sequence of shots taken at the finish line. For this reason, the horizontal axis represents time and not distance.”
“This can cause apparent distortions of wheels, bicycles, and riders, without in any way affecting the accuracy of the result. In cycling, the decisive reference point is the front part of the front wheel at the exact moment it crosses the finish line.”
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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