European Championships: Men's road race - Live coverage

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All the action from Trento as Pogacar, Evenepoel, Colbrelli and Sagan fight for the title

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Hello and welcome to the Cyclingnews live coverage of the elite men's European Championship. 

As the Cyclingnews blimp takes height, the riders are sihning on in Trento. 

The 172.9km elite men’s road race also covers eight laps but after an opening loop through the Valle dei Laghi and the climb of the iconic Monte Bondone that overlooks Trento. 

The 150 riders are now rolling out of the centre of Trento and riding towards the official start, 3km out of town. 

Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar stands out the elite men’s start list but his Slovenian teammate Matej Mohoric showed his form at the recent Benelux Tour and could emerge as team leader.  

Peter Sagan could be a threat and his three world titles and 2016 European title confirm he knows how to win circuit races. Evenepoel has been selected for the Belgian team for the World Championships and will be looking to prove a point in both the time trial and road race. 

The riders are packed tight behind the race directors car and the motorbikes.

The race director waves the flag and so they're off! 

As the riders start the loop out of Trento towards the lakes and the climb of Monte Bondone, we have the first attacks. 

Spain is trying to spark an early breakaway.

The pace is high. 

The riders are on a rolling valley road. The pace is high as different riders try to drag a break clear.

Lots of nations seem keen to place riders in the early break.  

170km to go

The pace is high and riders are riders are being dropped. They include Ireland's Sam Bennett, who is racing for the first time since before the injury that forced him to miss the Tour de France.

Two French riders are in a four-rider move. 

The riders are near Terlago, where many of the best grappa producers are based. Grappa is the local distilled alcoholic drink made from the grapes squeezed to make wine.

The four have a 20-second gap.  

The peloton has slowed and seems to have let the break go clear. 

As the pace eases, Bennett and others get back on.

The break has extended its lead to 1:00. 

It will be up to the Italian, Ditch, German and other nations to lead the chase.

Italy and Slovenia are leading the chase, as the gap touches 1:30. 

The race is on the plain near Terlago lake but will return to the early climbs.

The chase has reduced the gap to the four to just 50 seconds. 

150km to go

The race is on a more rocky, barren section as the road climbs upwards. 

The road will soon turn left and begin to climb the lower slopes of Monte Bondone.

The road will climb to Vigo Cavadine for 5km and so we expect attacks from nations looking to distance some of the sprinters.

The sprint teams like Italy will ride steady and control the race.  

There are more attacks, with Thibaut Pinot also on the move for France. 

Pinot makes it across to the break, giving France three riders up front. 

Spain has 5 riders chasing the Pinot attack. 

Italy are now on the front but they will have to close a 30-second gap. 

Andrea Bagioli surges across the gap to give Italy a rider in the attack.  

Other riders are coming across to the Pinot group as the road rises and rides take bidons from the roadside.  

Belgium do not seem happy with the situation and so are riding on the front of the peloton. 

Interestingly, Evenepoel is on his wheel, protected but well up front. 

Pinot, Bonnamour, Paret-Peintre and Vanhoucke have been joined by Rapp, Izagirre, Bagioli, Rapp, Grossschartner, Reichenbach, Landa, Soto and De La Cruz. 

This sums up the racing so far. It's been non-stop and tactical.

Italy eased up the pace, allowing the gap to rise to 1:00 but now there are more attacks from Germany and Portugal, who missed the attack. 

The roads descends for a little longer but then the 14km Monte Bondone climb will begin.

Philippe Gilbert and Gianni Vermeersch are in a group behind the peloton. Gilbert dropped his chain as the race exploded. 

There are only 80 or so riders in the peloton. That indicates how aggressive the racing has been on the valley loop. 

Franck Bonnamour is giving his all on the front of the 12-rider break to push out their lead. 

125km to go

The peloton is chasing at speed, with Portugal setting the pace.  

The gap is down to 40 seconds.

Switzerland are also helping with the chase.

The next 5.4km are climbing on the slopes of Monte Bondone. 

Gino Mader is one of the first riders to be distances as the climb begins to hurt.

However Tadej Pogacar is up front and well placed with the Italian riders and on the wheels of Portugal.

The break is also falling apart, with Landa dropped. 

Peter Sagan is also at the back with 3.5km to climb. 

The speed has been high as the peloton chased the attack. The gap is only 25 seconds now.

The French are continuing to attack.

Romain Bardet attacks. Remco Evenepoel goes after him! 

Now Warren Barguil goes on the attack as the Monte Bondone climb begins. 

The descent is fast and twisting.

The break leads by just 15 on the fast descent. 

110km to go

Riders who were dropped on the climb are using the descent to get back on. They include Ganna of Italy.

Sam Bennett is off the back but is racing today. However he distanced himself from Lefevere’s wrath by refusing to comment on the Deceuninck-QuickStep manager's criticism. 

As the rider enter Trento, there are 20 riders up front in the Pinot break after others crossed on the fast descent. 

Italy has 4 riders in the front, including Colbrelli. 

100km to go

Pogacar is in the chase peloton at 15 seconds but the race is likely to come back together.

100km to go

Ganna takes a musette and bidons for Italy as other riders eat and drink on the descent. 

Up front Belgium and Portugal continue to keep the pace high. Both want a hard race to crack the sprinters late on. 

We have a new attack, sparked by Portugal's Nelson Oliveira. 

Alexander Kristoff is close to the back of the peloton but Ganna has taken up the chase of the attack for Italy.  

90km to go

The Povo climb starts very soon after the finish area. With the circuit 132.km long and the climb 3.7km, it comes around very quickly.  

There are six riders up front after a mechanical problem for Rapp. 

Ulissi sense the danger of the moves and jumps across.

However as riders feed on the Povo climb, the race returns together. 

The riders are on the descent. 

80km to go

The Tour winner decides attack is the best form of defence and surges after the Ulissi move.  

Moscon marks him for Italy. 

As Pogacar is pulled back, Mohoric plays another card for Slovenia. 

Mohoric leads the race through the finish area in the centre of Trento. 

75km to go

Victor Campanaerts is on the front for Evenepoel but Belgium only has two other riders in the group. 

Sivakov is riding in the group and has ridden a protected race so far.

Romain Bardet attacks alone on the Povo climb.  

The Frenchman's surge has lined out the peloton.

Bardet is the first over the top but eases up after being left out front alone. 

Mohoric tries his hand but is marked closely.  

70km to go

Campanaerts is with Trentin as others try to join them. 

Pogacar is there too, so is Hoelgaard of Norway.

Mark Padun is there for the Ukraine.

There are five riders up front, as Italy tries to slow the chase.

65km to go

The message for France is simple: On roule! ride! 

Up front the five are taking turns on the front. 

The Povo climb begins and Campanaerts calls for a bidon. 

Pinot is on the front, doing a big, fast turn. He is trying to chase the break but also hurt the riders in the peloton.

Pinot was in the break earlier and is soon done on the front. 

Benoît Cosnefroy leads but Evenepoel is there too. 

Colbrelli is also there as they close in on the Pogacar group.  

Over the top riders grab bidons and bars. Two groups are set to come together on the descent.

We have seven riders in the front group, with others chasing to get across. 

Ben Hermans crosses the gap with Marc Hirschi. 

55km to go

Most of the riders in the attack are working to extend their lead.

Mollema is trying to chase too, with DeWulf of Belgium. 

The break of 10 lead by 30 seconds. This could be the selection.

Belgium is riding for Evenepoel, with Hermans and Campanaerts moving to the front. 

Joao Almedia is with Padun and Bardet but they're losing time.

Italy has Colbrelli and Trenti in the front 10. 

They're back on the Povo climb.

Campanaerts has been dropped from the front group.

45km to go

We have 9 riders up front, with 5 chasers. 

The nine are:

The chasers are at 40 seconds.

40km to go

There are three laps to go as the races passes through the old central streets of Trento.  

The 9 leaders start the climb with a lead of 50 seconds.

35km to go

There are only 30 riders left in the race and only 15 win the action upfront. 

There are huge crowds on the Povo climb. Only a few are wearing mask, despite being packed tight. 

Over the top and Trentin takes over at the front, he seems to be riding for Colbrelli. 

The Italian go through and off to try to inspire the rest of the break to share the work. 

Tadej Pogacar did not seem on great form after his Tour win and break but he is up there in the attack. 

The 9 lead by 1:40 as they return to Trento for the start of the final 2 laps. 

The riders pass through the centre on the smooth cobbles. The final sprint is on the same surface and so riders usually sprint sitting down for better grip.   

The Povo climb begins again and Ben Hermans returns to the front. He's doing a huge ride for Evenepoel, even if Belgium only have one card to play: an attack by the young Belgian.  

Hermans is running out of legs. Who will attack first on the steep part of the climb? 

Pogacar takes up a position near the front.

Sivakov kicks it off! 

Race on! 

Remco attacks! 

Cosnefroy and Colbrelli are on him. They have a gap.

Cosnefroy seems tired and can't do a turn. Evenepoel pushes on.

Hirschi and Pogacar are chasing the three. 

Sivakov is further back, as is Trentin.

20km to go

This is the pursuit match: 

Behind Markus Hoelgaard (Norway), Matteo Trentin (Italy) Ben Hermans (Belgium) have joined Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia), Pavel Sivakov (Russia), Marc Hirschi (Switzerland).

15km to go

Sonny Colbrelli (Italy), Remco Evenepoel (Belgium), Benoît Cosnefroy (France) lead by 22 seconds.

15km to go

The bell rings out as Evenepoel, Cosnefroy and Colbrelli  start the last lap. 

12km to go

Colbrelli is tucked tight on Evenepoel's wheel.  

Cosnefroy is done. He is dropped. 

Colbrelli is suffering as Evenepoel ups the pace and turns the screw. 

Cosnefroy is struggling and so the chasers can catch him and fight for a bronze medal. 

Evenepoel stomps on the pedals. But Colbrelli hangs on. 

This is the hardest part of the Povo climb. 

Evenepoel is trying to crack Colbrelli. 

Colbrelli is on his wheel as the climb ends.  

Advantage Colbrelli? 

Colbrelli is surely the fastest sprinter but Evenepoel could launch further attacks.

On the descent Colbrelli refuses to do a turn on the front. 

6km to go

Colbrelli takes a late drink. He needs to focus for the final sprint. 

Evenepoel and Colbrelli lead by 1:40. 

3km to go

Evenepoel and Colbrelli are side by side. 

Evenepoel seems to have given up hope. 

2km to go

Last Km! 

We could see a sprint for the final corner. 

Evenepoel is on the front. 

Colbrelli checks behind and goes on the drops. 

Evenepoel leads it out onto the cobbles. 

Sprint! 

Colbrelli leads out of the last corner and Evenepoel can't respond. 

Evenepoel tried to match him but did not have the same power.

Sonny Colbrelli of Italy is the 2021 European Road Race Champion!

Cosnefroy stays away to take bronze.

Matteo Trentin wis the sprint for 4th, waving at his local crowd to celebrate Italy's win. 

It's Italy's fourth consecutive European title after Trentin, Viviani and Nizzolo.  

Colbrelli celebrates with his family. 

Colbrelli waved his arms in celebration as he won.

This is the top ten: 

Here's Sonny winning the European title. 

Colbrelli is the Italian national champion but will now wear the European champion's jersey instead of the tricolore.

This was the Evenepoel-Colbrelli attack.

Behind the podium, Colbrelli pulls on the special European champion's jersey. 

Colbrelli was emotional after his win. 

The Italian national anthem rings out across a packed Trento main square.

It was a hard race," Colbrelli said emotionally.  

We will have a full photo gallery and race report very soon. It will be packed with details like this of an ever-changing race and a thrilling finale.  

TRENTO ITALY SEPTEMBER 12 Remco Evenepoel of Belgium compete in the breakaway during the 27th UEC Road Cycling European Championships 2021 Elite Mens Road Race a 1792km race from TrentoPiazza Duomo to TrentoPiazza Duomo UECcycling on September 12 2021 in Trento Italy Photo by Justin SetterfieldGetty Images

(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)

Remco Evenepoel slumped to the ground after finishing second. 

Tadej Pogacar was in the thick of the action but finished fifth, one place behind Trentin, who brought home the chasers.

For many riders a silver medal would be considered a success. Not for a rider as ambitious as Evenepoel. He seemed a little frustrated that Colbrelli rode only briefly on the front on the descent to the finish but sportingly said Colbrelli was the deserved winner.  

This is the podium of the European Championships.

Here's the moment Colbrelli realises he has won. 

And this is the moment Remco realises he has lost.  

"It was a very difficult race. The Italians really raced on adrenaline because the crowds were so big,” Evenepoel explained. 

Evenepoel will now return to Italy for the World Championships on home roads. He will ride the time trial alongside Wout van Aert next Sunday and promised to ride for his fellow Belgian the week after in the road race. 

Colbrelli savoured his moment on the podium  

Evenepoel was not so happy. 

Evenepoel is clearly ambitious and harsh on himself. He heads home from Trento with silver in the road race and bronze in the time trial. 

To read our full story on Remco Evenepoel's post-race comments, click below.

France's Benoît Cosnefroy completed the podium with Colbrelli and Evenepoel but was satisfied with the bronze medal. 

To read our full race report and to study our growing photo gallery and the full results, click below. 

Thanks for joining us for full live coverage from the European Championships.

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