The Closest Sprint Finish Ever? European Championships Breakdown

The European Championships have delivered another brilliant weekend of racing in Slovenia.

Ned Boulting and David Millar start with the men’s race, which took the riders nearly 200km from Ljubljana to Šenčur, with plenty of climbing along the way and a tough finishing circuit around the town. The race gradually whittled down as Belgium took control, putting their disappointment at the World Championships firmly behind them and dominating the finale.

Remco Evenepoel and Giulio Ciccone emerged as the two strongest riders, but the finish was anything but straightforward. After attacks, a Remco crash and a dramatic chase, the pair arrived together in Šenčur with the European title on the line. What followed was one of the closest sprints you’ll ever see, with Evenepoel eventually taking the win by an almost invisible margin. Ned and David get into the photo finish, the controversy and whether Remco really had enough to win.

Then it's the women's race, where the Dutch produced a remarkably familiar performance. Over 130km and a similarly tough final circuit, the Netherlands took control and once again used Puck Pieterse to set up Demi Vollering for the decisive move.

Just as at the World Championships, Pieterse put the pressure on and Vollering made the most of it, riding clear to win the European title for the second year in a row.

A ridiculously close men's finish, Belgian redemption and another Dutch masterclass, the European Championships had it all.

'Mûr de Ned' Hill Climb: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nsf-mur-de-ned-hill-climb-tickets-2000039132886

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