
Classica San Sebastian podium history | 2025 edition | Race map & profile | Photos | Start list
Donostia - Donostia (Basque for the city of San Sebastián), 221.2 km

Remco Evenepoel beats Richard Carapaz for the race win.
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Weather at start/finish city of San Sebastián at 2:20 PM, local time: 24C (75F), partly cloudy, with the wind from the north-northeast at 10 mkm/hr (6 mph). There is just a 1% chance of rain.
The race: Early in the race Attila Valter (Bahrain Victorious), Marcel Camprubi (Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team), Martin Svrcek (Soudal Quick-Step), & Javier Romo (Movistar) abandoned.
Here is a machine-translation of the organizer's race report:
The Clásica San Sebastián marked its 45th edition with a field of top-tier cyclists. Among them was the main favorite, Remco Evenepoel (RBH, 21), who arrived at the start line eager to make history. He would not have an easy time of it, however, facing competition from riders like Giulio Ciccone (LTK, 1), Richard Carapaz (EFE, 31), and Jonathan Narváez (UEX, 44). This day also marked the final time Pello Bilbao (TBV, 191), Ion Izagirre (COF, 101), Nairo Quintana (MOV, 165), and Bauke Mollema (LTK, 5) would race the Clásica.

Remco Evenepoel and teammates before the start.
The race began with a breakaway right from the opening meters of the course. ...riders formed the day's breakaway: Tim Rex (TVL, 16), Iñigo Elosegui (EKP, 63), Ådne Holter (UXM, 85), Valentin Ferron (COF, 103), Lorenzo Quartucci (BBH, 173), Nicolas Alustiza (EUS, 214), Nickolas Zukowsky (PQT, 237), and Joan Bou (CJR, 242). The maximum gap to the peloton was 3 minutes and 5 seconds. Caja Rural – Seguros RGA rider Joan Bou collected the most mountain points; just as he had done in the 2026 Itzulia, Bou was contending for the mountains classification.

Before the race, Team EF Education-EasyPost is presented.
The peloton upped the pace before the start of the climb up Jaizkibel. The favorites wanted to be well-positioned for the opening meters of the ascent. As the climb began, the gap to the breakaway was only 47 seconds. Several attacks from the peloton occurred in the opening meters. Bart Lemmen (TVL, 15), Sean Quinn (EFE, 33), and Michael Leonard (EFE, 36) pulled away from the main group. Tim Rex (TVL, 16) was leading the race solo. Jay Vine (UEX, 47) and Maxim Van Gils (RBH, 27) bridged across from the peloton to join the chase group. Behind them, Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe set the pace for the peloton, keeping the breakaway within reach. Upon cresting Jaizkibel, the gap to the race leader was a mere 20 seconds.

The race gets started in San Sebastian.
On the descent, Lidl-Trek moved to the front of the peloton and slightly reduced the deficit. The leaders had regrouped into a pack of six riders: Bart Lemmen (TVL, 15), Tim Rex (TVL, 16), Maxim Van Gils (RBH, 27), Sean... ...Quinn (EFE, 33), Jay Vine (UEX, 47), and Lorenzo Quartucci (BBH, 173).
With 49 kilometers remaining, just as they left Hondarribia, Remco Evenepoel had to change his bike. Poor team management left him isolated, forcing him to chase back to the peloton on his own before the start of the Erlaitz climb. The Belgian trailed the main pack by 40 seconds. If Evenepoel wanted to win his fourth Clásica San Sebastián, he would have to pull off a massive comeback. He began receiving support from teammates on the climb, but he had already expended a huge amount of energy in the chase.
Up ahead, UAE Team Emirates, Lidl-Trek, and Team Visma-Lease a Bike were driving the race. Louis Barré (TVL, 14) and Paul Double (JAY, 52) managed to open a gap on the peloton. With one kilometer left to the summit, Evenepoel had still not reached the group of favorites. Just before the top, the favorites' group—led by Ciccone—caught the two escapees.
The three-time Clásica winner trailed the race leaders by 35 seconds with 42 kilometers to go. The leading group consisted of 10 riders: Giulio Ciccone (LTK, 1), Matteo Jorgenson (TVL, 11), Louis Barré (TVL, 14), Maxim Van Gils (RBH, 27), Richard Carapaz (EFE, 31), Paul Double (JAY, 52), Felix Gall (DCT, 91), Léo Bisiaux (DCT, 93), Mathys Rondel (TUD, 134), and Enric Mas (MOV, 161).
With 33 kilometers to the finish, Remco managed to bridge the gap to the lead group—an incredible effort by the Belgian rider. Not content with just catching them, he put Maxim Van Gils to work setting the pace for the group.
After the tense moments and... After the tension of the climb up Erlaitz and the regrouping, there were a few calm kilometers. Van Gils continued to pull the group at Remco's direction.
With just 13 kilometers to go, Arrieta upped the pace before the day's final ascent. The group was strung out by the speed; everyone wanted to be well-positioned before the steep ramps of Murgil.
Evenepoel was the first to attack, with Carapaz glued to his wheel. The two of them broke away alone on the toughest section of the climb. Remco glanced back, caught his breath, and tried again. The Ecuadorian rider from EF Education First showed no signs of weakness. They crested the summit together, beginning an 8-kilometer time trial between them to the finish line. Giulio Ciccone was following close behind.
Remco Evenepoel won the sprint and made history on the San Sebastián boulevard, claiming his fourth Clásica San Sebastián victory and becoming the race's all-time record holder, surpassing Marino Lejarreta. Richard Carapaz finished second, and Tullett third.
Complete results:
221.2 kilometers raced at an average speed of 41.069 km/hr
| 1 | Remco Evenepoel | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | 5hr 23min 10sec |
| 2 | Richard Carapaz | EF Education-EasyPost | s.t. |
| 3 | Ben Tulett | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | @ 29sec |
| 4 | Christian Scaroni | XDS Astana Team | s.t. |
| 5 | Pello Bilbao | Bahrain Victorious | s.t. |
| 6 | Giulio Ciccone | Lidl-Trek | s.t. |
| 7 | Jan Christen | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | s.t. |
| 8 | Marc Hirschi | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | s.t. |
| 9 | Marcel Camprubí | Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team | s.t. |
| 10 | Léo Bisiaux | Decathlon CMA CGM Team | s.t. |
| 11 | Quinten Hermans | Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team | s.t. |
| 12 | Matteo Jorgenson | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | s.t. |
| 13 | Kevin Vermaerke | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | s.t. |
| 14 | Clément Braz Afonso | Groupama-FDJ United | s.t. |
| 15 | Mathys Rondel | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | s.t. |
| 16 | Jakob Omrzel | Bahrain Victorious | s.t. |
| 17 | Enric Mas | Movistar Team | s.t. |
| 18 | Felix Gall | Decathlon CMA CGM Team | s.t. |
| 19 | Louis Barré | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | s.t. |
| 20 | Ramses Debruyne | Alpecin-Premier Tech | 0:58 |
| 21 | Maxim Van Gils | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | s.t. |
| 22 | Gianmarco Garofoli | Soudal Quick-Step | 1:02 |
| 23 | Carlos Rodriguez | Netcompany INEOS Cycling Team | 1:03 |
| 24 | Brandon Rivera | Netcompany INEOS Cycling Team | 1:08 |
| 25 | Jack Haig | Netcompany INEOS Cycling Team | 1:56 |
| 26 | Jarno Widar | Lotto-Intermarché | s.t. |
| 27 | Darren Rafferty | EF Education-EasyPost | 2:20 |
| 28 | Igor Arrieta | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | s.t. |
| 29 | Bjoern Koerdt | Team Picnic PostNL | 2:55 |
| 30 | Paul Double | Team Jayco-AlUla | s.t. |
| 31 | Jordan Labrosse | Decathlon CMA CGM Team | s.t. |
| 32 | Mauri Vansevenant | Soudal Quick-Step | 3:21 |
| 33 | Bart Lemmen | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | 4:44 |
| 34 | Mauro Schmid | Team Jayco-AlUla | s.t. |
| 35 | Jhonatan Narvaez | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | s.t. |
| 36 | Jon Agirre | Euskaltel-Euskadi | 5:20 |
| 37 | Gijs Leemreize | Team Picnic PostNL | s.t. |
| 38 | Thomas Silva | XDS Astana Team | 6:21 |
| 39 | Johannes Kulset | Uno-X Mobility | s.t. |
| 40 | Brieuc Rolland | Groupama-FDJ United | s.t. |
| 41 | Filippo Zana | Soudal Quick-Step | s.t. |
| 42 | Jay Vine | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | 6:37 |
| 43 | Patrick Konrad | Lidl-Trek | 6:44 |
| 44 | Julien Bernard | Lidl-Trek | s.t. |
| 45 | Txomin Juaristi | Euskaltel-Euskadi | s.t. |
| 46 | Mattia Gaffuri | Team Picnic PostNL | s.t. |
| 47 | Afonso Eulalio | Bahrain Victorious | s.t. |
| 48 | Lennart Jasch | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | s.t. |
| 49 | Jorge Gutiérrez | Equipo Kern Pharma | s.t. |
| 50 | Sam Oomen | Lidl-Trek | s.t. |
| 51 | Alexy Faure-Prost | Team Picnic PostNL | s.t. |
| 52 | Derek Gee-West | Lidl-Trek | s.t. |
| 53 | Jokin Murguialday | Euskaltel-Euskadi | 7:20 |
| 54 | Robin Donzé | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | s.t. |
| 55 | Edward Dunbar | Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team | s.t. |
| 56 | Julen Arriola-Bengoa | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | 7:59 |
| 57 | Jan Hirt | NSN Cycling Team | s.t. |
| 58 | Alex Aranburu | Cofidis | s.t. |
| 59 | Finlay Pickering | Team Jayco-AlUla | s.t. |
| 60 | Urko Berrade | Equipo Kern Pharma | s.t. |
| 61 | George Bennett | NSN Cycling Team | s.t. |
| 62 | Emiel Verstrynge | Alpecin-Premier Tech | s.t. |
| 63 | Unai Iribar | Equipo Kern Pharma | 8:59 |
| 64 | Lars Craps | Lotto-Intermarché | s.t. |
| 65 | Martin Tjøtta | Uno-X Mobility | 9:13 |
| 66 | Lorenzo Quartucci | Burgos Burpellet BH | s.t. |
| 67 | Gorka Sorarrain | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | s.t. |
| 68 | Francesco Busatto | Alpecin-Premier Tech | s.t. |
| 69 | Lorenzo Rota | Lotto-Intermarché | s.t. |
| 70 | Alessandro Covi | Team Jayco-AlUla | s.t. |
| 71 | Dylan Teuns | Cofidis | s.t. |
| 72 | Marco Schrettl | XDS Astana Team | s.t. |
| 73 | Juan Martinez | Team Picnic PostNL | s.t. |
| 74 | Ibon Ruiz | Equipo Kern Pharma | s.t. |
| 75 | Davide Toneatti | XDS Astana Team | s.t. |
| 76 | Robbe Dhondt | Team Picnic PostNL | s.t. |
| 77 | James Shaw | EF Education-EasyPost | s.t. |
| 78 | Pavel Sivakov | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | 9:16 |
| 79 | Ion Izagirre | Cofidis | 9:18 |
| 80 | Toms Skujins | Lidl-Trek | 10:25 |
| 81 | Michael Gogl | Alpecin-Premier Tech | s.t. |
| 82 | Xandro Meurisse | Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team | s.t. |
| 83 | Dylan van Baarle | Soudal Quick-Step | s.t. |
| 84 | Steven Kruijswijk | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | s.t. |
| 85 | Ben Healy | EF Education-EasyPost | s.t. |
| 86 | Laurens De Plus | Netcompany INEOS Cycling Team | s.t. |
| 87 | Xabier Azparren | Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team | s.t. |
| 88 | Haimar Etxeberria | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | 11:17 |
| 89 | Giulio Pellizzari | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | s.t. |
| 90 | Emil Herzog | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | 12:50 |
| 91 | Joan Bou | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | 12:52 |
| 92 | Sergio Samitier | Cofidis | 13:07 |
| 93 | Xabier Isasa | Euskaltel-Euskadi | s.t. |
| 94 | Nairo Quintana | Movistar Team | s.t. |
| 95 | Jan Castellon | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | s.t. |
| 96 | Carlos Garcia | Burgos Burpellet BH | 13:36 |
| 97 | Sven Erik Bystrøm | Uno-X Mobility | 13:59 |
| 98 | Jonas Hem Hvideberg | Uno-X Mobility | s.t. |
| 99 | Tim Rex | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | s.t. |
| 100 | Alex Diaz | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | 14:36 |
| 101 | Callum Scotson | Decathlon CMA CGM Team | s.t. |
| 102 | Louis Rouland | Cofidis | 14:40 |
| 103 | Hugo de la Calle | Burgos Burpellet BH | 14:51 |
| 104 | Juan Pedro Lopez | Movistar Team | 15:08 |
| 105 | Nicolas Alustiza | Euskaltel-Euskadi | s.t. |
| 106 | Simone Gualdi | Lotto-Intermarché | 15:37 |

Here's the map of the 2026 Clasica San Sebastian

San Sebastian Classic profile
2026 San Sebastian Classic photos by Fotoreporter Sirotti:

Opening ceremonies: Team Visma | Lease a Bike is presented.

Team Jayco-AlUlA

Team Groupama-FDJ United

Remco Evenepoel before the race start.

Nairo Quintana

Time to go racing in Spain.

Riders round a corner

Richard Carapaz and Remco Evenepoel have broken clear of the pack. Here they come to sprint it out.

Remco Evenepoel wins the 2026 San Sebastian Classic. By my count this is his fourth victory in the race, since his wins in 2019, 2022, & 2023.

Ben Tulett (head down, yellow/black helmet) wins the field sprint for third.

Remco Evenepoel & Giulio Ciccone after the race.

The podium from left: Richard Carapaz (2nd), Remco Evenepoel (1st) & Ben Tulett (3rd).

Winner Remco Evenepoel wearing the obligatory Basque beret, called a "Txapela".
Start list with back numbers, July 31, 2026:
| Lidl-Trek | |
| 1 | Giulio Ciccone |
| 2 | Julien Bernard |
| 3 | Derek Gee-West |
| 4 | Toms Skujins |
| 5 | Bauke Mollema |
| 6 | Patrick Konrad |
| 7 | Sam Oomen |
| Team Visma | Lease a Bike | |
| 11 | Matteo Jorgenson |
| 12 | Victor Campenaerts |
| 13 | Ben Tulett |
| 14 | Louis Barré |
| 15 | Bart Lemmen |
| 16 | Tim Rex |
| 17 | Steven Kruijswijk |
| Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | |
| 21 | Remco Evenepoel |
| 22 | Haimar Etxeberria |
| 23 | Emil Herzog |
| 24 | Daniel Martinez |
| 25 | Gianni Moscon |
| 26 | Giulio Pellizzari |
| 27 | Maxim Van Gils |
| EF Education-EasyPost | |
| 31 | Richard Carapaz |
| 32 | Ben Healy |
| 33 | Sean Quinn |
| 34 | James Shaw |
| 35 | Darren Rafferty |
| 36 | Michael Leonard |
| 37 | Matthias Schwarzbacher |
| UAE Team Emirates-XRG | |
| 41 | Igor Arrieta |
| 42 | Jan Christen |
| 43 | Benoît Cosnefroy |
| 44 | Jhonatan Narvaez |
| 45 | Pavel Sivakov |
| 46 | Kevin Vermaerke |
| 47 | Jay Vine |
| Team Jayco-AlUla | |
| 51 | Alessandro Covi |
| 52 | Paul Double |
| 53 | Asbjørn Hellemose |
| 54 | Hamish McKenzie |
| 55 | Finlay Pickering |
| 56 | Luke Plapp |
| 57 | Mauro Schmid |
| Equipo Kern Pharma | |
| 61 | Urko Berrade |
| 62 | Diego Uriarte |
| 63 | Iñigo Elosegui |
| 64 | Mats Wenzel |
| 65 | Jorge Gutiérrez |
| 66 | Unai Iribar |
| 67 | Ibon Ruiz |
| XDS Astana Team | |
| 71 | Christian Scaroni |
| 72 | Anton Kuzmin |
| 73 | Clément Champoussin |
| 74 | Thomas Silva |
| 75 | Marco Schrettl |
| 76 | Davide Toneatti |
| 77 | Yevgeniy Fedorov |
| Uno-X Mobility | |
| 81 | Johannes Kulset |
| 82 | Martin Tjøtta |
| 83 | Sven Erik Bystrøm |
| 84 | Markus Hoelgaard |
| 85 | Ådne Holter |
| 86 | Hem Hvideberg Jonas |
| 87 | Erik Resell |
| Decathlon CMA CGM Team | |
| 91 | Felix Gall |
| 92 | Sander De Pestel |
| 93 | Léo Bisiaux |
| 94 | Antoine L'Hote |
| 95 | Jordan Labrosse |
| 96 | Oliver Naesen |
| 97 | Callum Scotson |
| Cofidis | |
| 101 | Ion Izagirre |
| 102 | Louis Rouland |
| 103 | Valentin Ferron |
| 104 | Alex Aranburu |
| 105 | Paul Ourselin |
| 106 | Sergio Samitier |
| 107 | Dylan Teuns |
| Team Picnic PostNL | |
| 111 | James Knox |
| 112 | Robbe Dhondt |
| 113 | Alexy Faure-Prost |
| 114 | Mattia Gaffuri |
| 115 | Bjoern Koerdt |
| 116 | Gijs Leemreize |
| 117 | Juan Martinez |
| Groupama-FDJ United | |
| 121 | David Gaudu |
| 122 | Brieuc Rolland |
| 123 | Clément Braz Afonso |
| 124 | Josh Kench |
| 125 | Olivier Le Gac |
| 126 | Quentin Pacher |
| 127 | Rémy Rochas |
| Tudor Pro Cycling Team | |
| 131 | Marc Hirschi |
| 132 | Robin Donzé |
| 133 | Lennart Jasch |
| 134 | Mathys Rondel |
| 135 | Roland Thalmann |
| 136 | Hannes Wilksch |
| 137 | Luc Wirtgen |
| Soudal Quick-Step | |
| 141 | Mikel Landa |
| 142 | Mauri Vansevenant |
| 143 | Martin Svrcek |
| 144 | Filippo Zana |
| 145 | Alberto Dainese |
| 146 | Gianmarco Garofoli |
| 147 | Dylan van Baarle |
| Alpecin-Premier Tech | |
| 151 | Tobias Bayer |
| 152 | Emiel Verstrynge |
| 153 | Michael Gogl |
| 154 | Ramses Debruyne |
| 155 | Hugo Houle |
| 156 | Francesco Busatto |
| 157 | Gal Glivar |
| Movistar Team | |
| 161 | Enric Mas |
| 162 | Juan Pedro Lopez |
| 163 | Davide Formolo |
| 164 | Diego Pescador |
| 165 | Nairo Quintana |
| 166 | Pavel Novak |
| 167 | Javier Romo |
| Burgos Burpellet BH | |
| 171 | Eric Fagundez |
| 172 | Hugo de la Calle |
| 173 | Lorenzo Quartucci |
| 174 | Rodrigo Álvarez |
| 175 | Daniel Cavia |
| 176 | Martin Rey |
| 177 | Carlos Garcia |
| Netcompany INEOS | |
| 181 | Laurens De Plus |
| 182 | Jack Haig |
| 183 | Lucas Hamilton |
| 184 | Bob Jungels |
| 185 | Brandon Rivera |
| 186 | Carlos Rodriguez |
| 187 | Óscar Rodríguez |
| Bahrain Victorious | |
| 191 | Pello Bilbao |
| 192 | Afonso Eulalio |
| 193 | Pau Miquel Delgado |
| 194 | Fran Miholjevic |
| 195 | Jakob Omrzel |
| 196 | Mathijs Paasschens |
| 197 | Attila Valter |
| Lotto-Intermarché | |
| 201 | Lennert Van Eetvelt |
| 202 | Lars Craps |
| 203 | Simone Gualdi |
| 204 | Lorenzo Rota |
| 205 | Reuben Thompson |
| 206 | Luca Van Boven |
| 207 | Jarno Widar |
| Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
| 211 | Jonathan Lastra |
| 212 | Mikel Bizkarra |
| 213 | Jon Agirre |
| 214 | Nicolas Alustiza |
| 215 | Xabier Isasa |
| 216 | Jokin Murguialday |
| 217 | Txomin Juaristi |
| NSN Cycling Team | |
| 221 | George Bennett |
| 222 | Joe Blackmore |
| 223 | Marco Frigo |
| 224 | Jan Hirt |
| 225 | Moritz Kretschy |
| 226 | Alessandro Pinarello |
| 227 | Rotem Tene |
| Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team | |
| 231 | Xabier Azparren |
| 232 | Marcel Camprubí |
| 233 | Harm Vanhoucke |
| 234 | Quinten Hermans |
| 235 | Xandro Meurisse |
| 236 | Edward Dunbar |
| 237 | Nickolas Zukowsky |
| Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
| 241 | Joel Nicolau |
| 242 | Joan Bou |
| 243 | Jan Castellon |
| 244 | Alex Diaz |
| 245 | Julen Arriola-Bengoa |
| 246 | Joseba Lopez |
| 247 | Gorka Sorarrain |