Before the start of the Tour of Lombardy, one of the last major events in the cycling season, Remco Evenepoel took part in a protest by riders concerned about their safety during races. The cyclists decided to delay the start of the race by five minutes to highlight their worries about the increasing number of incidents involving vehicles. Evenepoel read a statement on behalf of the group. "Representing the entire peloton — not just those present here, but all professional cyclists — we want to make this statement because there are too many incidents involving vehicles during the race," said Evenepoel, wearing his new European champion jersey. He mentioned the death of Finlay Tarling, a fellow cyclist who was killed by a civilian car during the Tour of Portugal in August. "We want to make this statement to show the world that we can no longer accept the fact that men are injured and literally die doing what they love most," he added. Since Tarling's death, any vehicle intrusion on the race course has caused further frustration among the riders. This was again the case during recent races such as the Coppa Bernocchi and the Trois Vallées Varésines, where Tom Pidcock expressed strong disappointment. His teammates Marcel Camprubì and Thomas Gloag were hit by a police motorcycle that was traveling in the wrong direction, according to Pidcock. Evenepoel called on race organizers to ensure that cyclists can compete safely, without worrying about cars, motorcycles, or other vehicles that might appear on the track. "We did not want to disrupt the race, but simply to show what the riders are capable of when they are united," he said. "We love this sport. We respect the organizers. We want to give our all and offer a beautiful show to our fans. But above all, we want to return safely to our loved ones."