"The move that got away..." - Pidcock laments missing Québec winning attack; Ciccone and Charmig settle for podium alongside Evenepoel
CyclingSaturday, 12 September 2026 at 10:00
The GP de Québec has gained added importance this year, leading the riders up to the Canadian World Championships. In a tough circuit and tactical race, some benefitted whilst some mistimed their efforts. Tom Pidcock, Giulio Ciccone and Anthon Charmig shared their thoughts after the race.
Lidl-Trek had one of the strongest teams at the start line, featuring Ciccone, Quinn Simmons, Juan Ayuso, Derek Gee and Tom Skujins all as potential winners. This depth allowed them to cover many moves, and from those, that of Evenepoel and Ciccone.
The two escaped the peloton with just under 30 kilometers to go and, due to the German team's work behind, the duo was able to extend its lead alongside Anthon Charmig - who was part of the group whom they had caught.
Ciccone resisted all of Evenepoel's attacks, but the Olympic Champion looked to be on an unbeatable day. The decision was made in the final sprint, but despite Evenepoel's added work - as Ciccone had teammate Quinn Simmons trying to come across - it was the Red Bull rider who took the victory.
"I was in the front with Remco and I was really suffering, so I have to say congrats to him, because he was doing most of the job," Ciccone said. "Finally I finished second."
Remco Evenepoel beat Giulio Ciccone to win the GP de Québec
Anthon Charmig thrilled with third place
Anthon Charmig, third on the day, hugely benefitted from his tactics. Part of an earlier attack, he was then already at the head of the race when the Evenepoel-Ciccone group moved through.
But tactical prowess was not his only call to success, the Dane had the legs as well. He withstood the high pace, unlike any other rider, and was only dropped on the final ascent. By that point, he had already gathered himself enough of a lead over the rest of the field to defend his spot on the podium.
"Actually the plan was to wait a bit for the final, but I saw how the race developed and then I knew it was just about getting up the road. Last year I did a bit of the same. I know it's a good way to race this race, so I'm happy."
"I just tried to help Remco a bit. I think he was by far the strongest. I took maybe ten-second turns and he was doing, I don't know, a few minutes each time," Charmig explained following the race. "So I think it was a well-deserved win for him, for sure."
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Tom Pidcock misses the right move
Behind, the likes of Paul Seixas, Isaac del Toro and Tom Pidcock lamented not having been in the winning attack. Evenepoel had his timing right, and the Briton, who had great legs, could only make a late surge into fourth place.
“I felt really good today. It was a tactical race. The move that got away was quite a soft move at first, which is often the way it goes, but then nobody could bring it back," he recalls.
Nevertheless, Pidcock shows strong legs ahead of Montréal, where he will be one of the favourites in a more head-to-head style race. "I had good legs, but tactically it was always going to be difficult today.”
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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