Belgian teenager Remco Evenepoel wins San Sebastian Classic

SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain (AP) — Belgian teenager Remco Evenepoel won the San Sebastian Classic in northern Spain on Saturday, securing the 19-year-old his first victory in cycling’s top class.

The Deceuninck-Quick Step rider broke away from the group of pre-race favorites on the final climb of the hilly one-day race and stayed ahead on the descent to finish more than half a minute clear.

Evenepoel completed the 227-kilometer (141-mile) course — which started and finished in the Basque city of San Sebastian — in 5 hours, 44 minutes. Greg Van Avermaet was second.

Tour de France winner Egan Bernal was dropped from the peloton midway through the race.

Julian Alaphilippe, who won this race in 2018, withdrew with around 150 kilometers to go.