“It needed to be done and, honestly, it was long overdue”: Sean Kelly hails rider protest at Il Lombardia while warning the UCI to take action

Sean Kelly believes Il Lombardia 2026 could prove to be a defining moment for professional cycling. Paul Seixas became the youngest winner in the history of the Monument with a dominant solo performance, but Kelly also highlighted the riders’ five-minute pre-race protest over safety concerns as an event that could have consequences beyond the result in Como.

The former professional argued that the demonstration was overdue and warned that the UCI must respond with visible action. He also examined what Seixas’s victory revealed about the Frenchman’s potential, questioned Remco Evenepoel’s climbing this season and offered a blunt assessment of Tom Pidcock’s handling of the decisive climb.

For Kelly, the safety protest deserved attention before the racing itself. “It needed to be done and, honestly, it was long overdue,” he wrote. “If the UCI doesn't start taking visible action, then I suspect the riders will carry out more protests and strikes because they know the situation, experience the issues, and have unfortunately seen the heartbreaking consequences too.”

The riders delayed the start by five minutes, with Evenepoel reading a statement about safety in the peloton. “Now, the riders will hope that this protest doesn't fall on deaf ears, and that action is taken,” he added.

The race itself gave Kelly another reason to regard the 2026 edition as significant. Seixas attacked on the Civiglio and gradually distanced the main contenders. Enric Mas eventually finished second, with Ciccone taking third.

“It was a first Monument victory for Paul Seixas, and he won it in dominant fashion. He was by far the best rider in the end, by quite some way,” Kelly wrote. “It was the kind of performance that says this guy is looking like a real champion, not only performing in stage races, but also in one-day Monuments.”

Kelly was particularly impressed by the manner of the attack. “The fact that it was somewhat forecasted and not an all-out explosive burst of power says a lot about Seixas' level, because despite it being a steady, seated attack, no one could live with that infernal pace.”

Ciccone, Pidcock and Mas all showed strong form, but Kelly argued that their positioning could not compensate for the difference in climbing power. “Seixas was well placed to deliver his attack, but others were too – Giulio Ciccone, Tom Pidcock and Enric Mas – yet if you haven't got the power to follow, then it's not going to happen for you. They were simply not at the same level as Seixas on Saturday.”

Kelly also explained why he considers Lombardia a relatively straightforward race tactically. “I've often said that Il Lombardia is a race that's easy to ride because, tactically, there's not a lot to it,” he wrote. “Certain teams will control, but you just have to follow until eventually you're into the final 30 or 40 riders. Then position yourself for that race-winning attack.”

He added: “There's a much higher likelihood of mechanicals or crashes ruining your chances in other Monuments or one-day Classics, particularly on the cobbles, but the Race of the Falling Leaves typically favours the rider with the best legs. That was undoubtedly Paul Seixas this time around.”

Seixas’s victory capped a remarkable season, and Kelly expects Decathlon CMA CGM to become even stronger around him in 2027. “I expect that to only improve next year now that he has confirmed he'll remain with the French team in 2027,” Kelly wrote.

Evenepoel, meanwhile, finished behind the leading contenders after struggling to follow Seixas’s acceleration. Although the Belgian added another World Championships time trial title and the European road race crown to his record in 2026, Kelly believes his climbing has been less convincing.

“I think he's struggled with his climbing this year. When the pace goes beyond a certain point, he struggles to follow,” he wrote.

Kelly believes the demands of a Grand Tour can work differently in Evenepoel’s favor. “In Grand Tours, that's less of an issue because fatigue typically drops the pace, especially later in the three weeks, and Remco seems to recover better than others, which is an advantage for him. However, in one-day races, a lot of riders – even domestiques nowadays – can put in an unbelievable tempo, which at times can catch him out.”

Kelly was also critical of Pidcock, who initially followed Seixas on the Civiglio but eventually lost contact and dropped back toward the chasing group. “I worry that when he loses contact with the rider in front, he just seems to lose his head a bit too much, and you cannot do that in a race,” Kelly wrote.

“You have to be really strong in the head, and fight like a dog. If you're really over the limit trying to follow the guy up the road, you knock it back a bit, and then you go with the next guy.”