Evenepoel Signs Off with Second Place at Il Lombardia, Eyes New Chapter with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe
BERGAMO, Italy - October 11, 2025 – Remco evenepoel concluded his seven-year tenure with Soudal Quick-step by finishing second at Il Lombardia, a 241km one-day race from Como to Bergamo, but was unable to match the pace of race winner Tadej Pogačar.Saturday’s race marked both a strong performance for the Belgian champion and the end of an era as he prepares to join Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe.
Evenepoel acknowledged the difficulty in responding to Pogačar’s attack, stating, ”The moment when Tadej attacked the pace was already so high for a certain minute that it was impossible to react. So I had to do my own rhythm, my own pace.” He finished 1:48 behind Pogačar, an advancement over his 3:16 deficit when finishing second in the same race last year.
Despite falling short of victory,Evenepoel expressed satisfaction with his race. “I am just happy with how everything went,” he said. “I was straight away on the wheel of the UAE guys so everything went super well.” He emphasized his commitment to fighting until the end, adding, “I am the type of guy who will always keep fighting until the end.”
Looking ahead, Evenepoel deferred questions about closing the gap between himself and Pogačar to his new trainer, anticipating a collaborative effort with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe to identify areas for improvement.
Evenepoel also took time to express gratitude for his time with Soudal Quick-Step. “I am just very happy and proud to have been the leader in this team, to have taken a lot of victories for this team,” he stated. “The last seven years is somthing I will take with me for the rest of my life, but I think now it is indeed time for something new to start.” His move is motivated by a desire for new opportunities and the pursuit of a potential Tour de France victory.
