For one race only, Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe will put two European champions in the same jersey. The team confirmed its seven-rider squad for Il Lombardia with Evenepoel leading and Roglic alongside him for the first time since joining the roster.
Both arrive in Italy on fresh continental titles. Evenepoel won the European road race, and Roglic took the time-trial title on Wednesday in Slovenia. On team duty they had never raced the same event in 2026.
The reason is a quietly unusual season. Roglic, 36, was handed a thin calendar built around the Vuelta a España, where he finished second. Evenepoel’s year ran through the spring classics, the Tour de France and now Lombardy, where he has been talking up a career-defining win.
“If I win on Saturday, this will be my best season yet, especially after my strong Tour,” the Belgian said.
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He is also the first to point out how different the race looks without Tadej Pogacar, who has won the last five editions and is absent this year.
“The only thing now is that we are racing for first place and not for second. I think that will be the biggest difference tomorrow.”
Roglic’s exit still without a destination
Where Roglic rides next remains unsettled. His Red Bull contract expires at the end of 2026, and recent reports have placed him in talks with Lotto-Intermarché and, more recently, Tudor Pro Cycling, though no agreement has been confirmed. Bahrain Victorious ruled itself out.
That leaves Saturday as the one shared workday on the record for two riders who, between them, carry much of the hardware in men’s road cycling outside Pogacar’s. Evenepoel is the reigning Olympic champion; Roglic is a Grand Tour-winning stage racer who finished second at the Vuelta this year.
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The lineup built around Evenepoel
Red Bull’s starting lineup for Il Lombardia:
- Remco Evenepoel
- Primoz Roglic
- Jai Hindley
- Giulio Pellizzari
- Giovanni Aleotti
- Mattia Cattaneo
- Gianni Moscon
Evenepoel leads; Roglic rides as support. On the roster, that makes Saturday both a farewell and a first.
Evenepoel also confirmed he will take his usual two-week switch-off immediately after the race.
“Obviously in my two weeks off, I can really switch off completely and if anyone from the team is texting me or calling me, I will not answer.”
Il Lombardia is run on Saturday, 10 October in Italy.
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