"That record is pretty firmly stuck in my head" - Only victory matters for Evenepoel at the Clásica San Sebastian
CyclingSaturday, 01 August 2026 at 13:29
The 2026 Clásica San Sebastián is a race that features a clear favourite: Remco Evenepoel. The Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe rider comes off a terrific Tour de France where he looked to show his best ever climbing legs, and might put them to use to be the first four-time winner of the Basque classic.
“That record is pretty firmly stuck in my head, the Clásica San Sebastián is a beautiful race, one that is also very close to my heart," Evenepoel said in words to Het Nieuwsblad. "So to become the sole record holder here would be wonderful. In any case, I am motivated to go all out one more time".
The 'Donostia Klasikoa' is a race that has a good omen for Evenepoel. Every single one of his three wins came at a special period of his career. In 2019, it became his first World Tour victory; in 2022 he won it as preparation for his sole Grand Tour win at the Vuelta a España; and in 2023 he won it whilst wearing the rainbow jersey.
“I have also won here as world champion and just before I secured my Vuelta victory," he pointed out. It's a race that carries special meaning and also suits him well, taking into consideration his climbing abilities, his endurance and also the ability to conduct solo attacks over difficult races.
Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe was not able to bring Primoz Roglic to the start after the Slovenian was recently hit by a car during a training ride. Nevertheless, the likes of Maxim van Gils and Giulio Pellizzari will provide the German team with a lot of firepower to launch him.
The steep climbs of the Basque Country should be sufficient to create winning differences; with the likes of Richard Carapaz and defending champion Giulio Ciccone as fellow favourites.
Remco Evenepoel climbing with Tadej Pogacar at the Tour de France
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Evenepel sees UAE and Lidl as his main rivals
After finishing second at the Tour, where he won the time trial and also won the summit finish to Plateau de Solaison, Evenepoel rode a post-Tour criterium right the day after. “I feel okay. Monday was quite tough going to the Aalst criterium, but after that it got a little better day by day".
"Ultimately, I was able to rest a bit. The fatigue is mainly felt off the bike; on the bike it isn't too bad. So I hope for a good day tomorrow". Traditionally, the Klasikoa has been won by riders coming off the Tour de France, with an incredibly rhythm.
As main rivals in this Satuday's race, he sees UAE Team Emirates - XRG and Lidl-Trek. "We will have to take control of the race. They also have a very strong team with them. Jhonatan Narváez, for example, is someone who is doing very well. I also expect a lot from Giulio Ciccone, who won last year".
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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