As a bike racer, strategies are always evolving. That’s why on Sunday in France, the world road race champion decided to surprise his opponents and not wait for a last-minute break or bunch sprint. Yup. The Slovenian took a wild chance and broke away with 75 km to go. And somehow, it worked.

At the 2025 European continental championships in France—from Privas to Guilherand-Granges, for a total of 202 km—the odds were against him to take the win. It was a stacked field with riders like world TT champion Remco Evenepoel of Soudal Quick-Step and multiple Tour de France, and 2025 Vuelta a España winner Jonas Vingegaard there as clear favourites.

But Pogi decided to go on a gambit. With a whopping 75 km left, he attacked. Crazy? Yes. Unheard of? Definitely. Unorthodox? You betcha. But somehow, against all odds, Ole Pogi pulled it off.

The European continental championship road race started in Privas with the Col du Moulin à Vent, a 4.2-km climb averaging 4.9 per cent, followed by a 50-km flat stretch. Riders then tackled two loops, each ridden three times. It was a tough start—and it only got tougher.

The larger loop was 36 kilometres and featured the Saint-Romain-de-Lerps climb (7.1 km at 7 per cent) and the steep Val d’Enfer—“Valley of Hell”—(1.5 km at 9.9 per cent). The smaller loop was 17 km. It included the Val d’Enfer again, along with the short but sharp Montée de Costebelle (300 m at 9.3 per cent).

In total, the Val d’Enfer was climbed six times. The final ascent came just 6.5 km from the finish. A small 400 m rise at 5.8 per cent followed, then a descent led into the flat run-in to the line.

Ultimately, Evenepoel thought Pogačar’s novel approach to bike racing might be a thing. So he too took off on his own. Although he did his best try to try ride on his lonesome, he would finish second, finishing half a minute behind as Pogi cruised to the finish. (Perhaps the Belgian just needs to work on learning how to pace himself when he rides alone?)

By this time, Vingegaard was doing a big “Nej tak, I think I’ll stick to stage races, mate” and in the showers.

Pogi took a resounding win, and can now use his European championship jersey as a base layer under his rainbow jersey. There were no Canadians going for gold at the 2025 Euro road championships. (To be honest, apart from Pogi, were there any Europeans doing so?)

Results powered by FirstCycling.com