'Oh no, no, no!' – Mayhem for Remco Evenepoel after 'hectic' motorbike crash at Il Lombardia
Updated 11/10/2025 at 22:54 GMT+1
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UAE Team Emirates-XRG's Tadej Pogacar enjoyed a calm finish to his victory at Il Lombardia in Italy on Saturday afternoon, but the same could not be said for Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step). After the race, the Belgian reflected on a "hectic" moment that saw him caught behind two motorbikes that came close to crashing, forcing him into evasive action.
Chaos as Evenepoel blocked by motorcycle in pursuit of Pogacar
Video credit: TNT Sports
Remco Evenepoel was blocked off by two motorbikes in a "hectic" finale to Saturday's Il Lombardia race in Italy.
With three kilometres of the one-day race remaining, Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) was drawing away, and the 25-year-old Belgian (Soudal Quick-Step) was pushing hard up a climb as he looked to not lose too much ground on the Slovenian.
However, he suffered an unexpected setback when two motorbikes ahead of him touched and came to a halt.
With the crowds pushing in from both sides, it was an exceptionally tight path for the vehicles and the cyclist to negotiate, and after a moment’s pause, he was able to dodge around to the left, costing him a few seconds in his pursuit.
TNT Sports commentator Rob Hatch reacted with surprise when he saw the motorbikes stop ahead of Evenepoel, exclaiming: "Oops! And now then, this could be a problem. This could be a real issue. Evenepoel trying to get past that moto. Oh, no, no, no!"
Speaking to TNT Sports after the end of the race, Evenepoel gave his account of the incident.
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He said: "Maybe I will remember that two motorbikes almost crashed in front of me on the last climb. That was quite hectic, especially as I was going quite fast.
"Then, needing to stop on a 15% gradient is not that easy, so it was a bit of fighting with the motorbikes and all the cars around. Luckily, my gap to Michael Storer (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) was big enough to not be in trouble, so in the end everything went well."
He added: "The moment when Tadej attacked, the pace was already so high for 30 minutes. It was almost coming, it was almost impossible to react, so I had to do my own pace, my own rhythm.
"In the end, I went over the top with Storer and Quinn Simmons, and then I was able to drop them in the downhill part. So, just happy with my race."
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Highlights: Pogacar reigns supreme for fifth straight Il Lombardia victory
Video credit: TNT Sports
Pogacar ultimately emerged as the winner, equalling the five-victory record first set by Fausto Coppi. His five consecutive victories are a standalone record, and as reported by cyclingnews he is the only rider to twice win the world title and the final Italian Monument in the same season.
His ruthless attack on the Passo di Ganda climb meant that he was able to race the remaining 36km of the race without any competition from the riders behind him.
Tudor Pro Cycling’s Michael Storer finished in third place on the podium.
Despite the disappointment on Saturday, Evenepoel has nevertheless enjoyed some success this season, winning the Brabantse Pijl, the European and World Time Trial Championships, as well as a stage at the Tour de France.
Pogacar won the Tour de France, Criterium du Dauphine, UAE Tour, the European and World Road Race Championships, as well as the Tour of Flanders, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Strade Bianche, La Fleche Wallonne, and the Tre Valli Varesine.
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