ROME (AP) — France's rising cycling talent Paul Seixas made history at the Tour de Lombardy when he became its youngest winner ever on Saturday after riders protested safety concerns.
The 20-year-old Seixas broke away with around 20 kilometers left to win the one-day race in northern Italy that had been dominated by the currently injured Tadej Pogačar for the previous five years.
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From left, second placed Spain's Enric Mas Nicolau, the winner France's Paul Seixas and third placed Italy's Giulio Ciccone during the podium ceremony for Il Lombardia, Tour of Lombardy cycling race, in Como, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP)
France's Paul Seixas pedals on his way to win Il Lombardia, Tour of Lombardy cycling race, in Como, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (Gian Mattia D'Alberto/LaPresse via AP)
France's Paul Seixas celebrates winning Il Lombardia, Tour of Lombardy cycling race, in Como, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (Gian Mattia D'Alberto/LaPresse via AP)
France's Paul Seixas celebrates with the trophy after winning Il Lombardia, Tour of Lombardy cycling race, in Como, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (Gian Mattia D'Alberto/LaPresse via AP)
France's Paul Seixas bites thew trophy after winning Il Lombardia, Tour of Lombardy cycling race, in Como, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP)
“I had the feeling today would be a great day. It feels like a dream,” Seixas said.
He savored the winning feeling after racing for nearly six hours.
Spanish Vuelta winner Enric Mas was second at 48 seconds behind, followed by Italian Giulio Ciccone.
The Tour of Lombardy started in 1905. It is one of cycling’s elite one-day Monument races.
Seixas finished this summer’s Tour de France fourth overall in his debut.
Also this season, Seixas became the youngest winner of the Flèche Wallonne at 19 and finished runner-up to Pogačar, a five-time Tour champion, at the Strade Bianche and Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
The start of the race was delayed for around five minutes when riders didn’t begin as scheduled in a protest to denounce unsafe racing conditions and the recent death of a cyclist.
Star rider Remco Evenepoel spoke for the peloton at the start line in Bergamo.
“Unfortunately, we lost the life of a brother and of a colleague, so we want to make this statement to show the world that we cannot keep accepting the fact that guys are getting injured or literally dying in what we like the most to do,” Evenepoel said.
“So this is why we want to spend five minutes more still to make our statement towards organizations, to the public, to everybody that is following cycling, because we cannot accept the fact that people are dying.”
British rider Finlay Tarling died following a serious incident in the Volta a Portugal race in August when the 19-year-old was run over by a car that entered the road. The driver reportedly missed the signs from stewards and entered the road going in the opposite direction of the race.
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From left, second placed Spain's Enric Mas Nicolau, the winner France's Paul Seixas and third placed Italy's Giulio Ciccone during the podium ceremony for Il Lombardia, Tour of Lombardy cycling race, in Como, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP)
France's Paul Seixas pedals on his way to win Il Lombardia, Tour of Lombardy cycling race, in Como, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (Gian Mattia D'Alberto/LaPresse via AP)
France's Paul Seixas celebrates winning Il Lombardia, Tour of Lombardy cycling race, in Como, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (Gian Mattia D'Alberto/LaPresse via AP)
France's Paul Seixas celebrates with the trophy after winning Il Lombardia, Tour of Lombardy cycling race, in Como, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (Gian Mattia D'Alberto/LaPresse via AP)
France's Paul Seixas bites thew trophy after winning Il Lombardia, Tour of Lombardy cycling race, in Como, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP)
Bruno Guimarães came off the bench to score on his home debut as defending champion Arsenal recovered to beat Leeds 2-1 in the Premier League on Saturday.
Guimarães netted just four minutes after being sent on. It was the Brazil midfielder’s second goal for Arsenal — he scored against Sunderland last month — after joining from Newcastle in the offseason, and he celebrated by diving into the crowd.
It was the perfect flourish for Arsenal to celebrate coach Mikel Arteta signing a contract extension this week and bounce back from a hefty defeat at Brighton before the extended three-week break for internationals.
“This is the level for Arsenal, every week, every game, every minute, every action that you have to be at," Arteta said. “Against Brighton (Guimarães) wasn’t at that level, and today he was much better, and he can still be much better, and that’s what we have to demand.
“He’s still not in the best condition because he did not have a preseason. But he’s done it twice, (scoring from the bench) against Sunderland and now against Leeds, and that’s the quality needed at this level to continue to win.”
Arsenal moved level on points with Manchester City at the top of the table ahead of City's tricky trip to Liverpool on Sunday. The game at Anfield is City's first since being found guilty of large-scale financial wrongdoing in the biggest scandal in Premier League history. City is appealing.
It was a first defeat for Leeds, which was hoping to leapfrog Arsenal into second — courtesy of a better goal difference — with a win.
James Justin fired Leeds in front in the 55th minute but Riccardo Calafiori leveled just seven minutes later. The sixth Arsenal goal for Calafiori, who joined the club in 2024, was the defender’s first at home.
Arteta made a triple change moments later, sending on Guimarães, Victor Gyokeres and Jurrien Timber and the comeback was complete in the 70th with a lovely team goal.
A free kick was taken quickly and it was flicked between several players before Declan Rice teed up Guimarães to drive into the bottom left corner from outside the area.
Tottenham snatched a 1-1 draw at Manchester United despite with 10 men, although it is still without a win in six matches after a $400 million summer spend.
Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off in the 78th minute for headbutting Luke Shaw after the United defender angrily pushed him following a couple of sliding tackles.
At that point, Tottenham was already 1-0 down after Bryan Mbeumo broke the deadlock five minutes earlier with what was only United's second shot on target.
United fans started chanting that Tottenham were “going down with City” in reference to potential sanctions for their bitter rival.
However, Tottenham leveled in stoppage time as terrible defending saw Dominic Solanke get away from Lisandro Martinez to nod Sandro Tonali’s cross into the back of the net.
“The situation we were in with the red card ... we need this situation, we have not accepted the defeat,” Tottenham coach Roberto de Zerbi told Sky Sports. “We have to react in all ways we can. It is a bad way, it is not the right way.
"I kiss Bentancur in the dressing room. Football is character.”
Jordan Henderson became Chelsea’s oldest English goal-scorer as the 36-year-old netted a brace in a 5-1 win over Bournemouth.
Henderson scored after just 66 seconds and turned provider almost immediately, setting up Morgan Rogers for a deflected shot that put Chelsea 2-0 up after just 149 seconds.
João Pedro added another in the opening minute of the second half and Evanilson grabbed one back for Bournemouth. Chelsea hadn’t kept a clean sheet in the Premier League since Jan. 21.
João Pedro settled any nerves in Stamford Bridge with Chelsea’s fourth before Henderson also doubled his tally with a superb free kick.
Brighton consolidated third place with a 2-0 win at Sunderland, despite playing most of the second half with 10 men after Pascal Struijk was shown a straight red card for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
Maxim De Cuyper scored moments before Struijk’s dismissal and Jaouen Hadjam sealed the match in stoppage time.
Fulham appeared set for its first win in the Premier League but two very late goals — from Abdoul Ouattara and Dara O’Shea — saw Ipswich snatch a 2-1 victory.
Brentford remained unbeaten after drawing at Aston Villa 2-2.
See AP’s full soccer coverage here
Tottenham's Rodrigo Bentancur, left, clashes with Manchester United's Luke Shaw during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in Manchester, England, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Tottenham's Dominic Solanke, right, celebrates with Savio after scoring his side's opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in Manchester, England, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Chelsea's Jordan Henderson, third from left, scores their side's first goal during the English Premier League match between Chelsea and Bournemouth in London, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
Chelsea's Jordan Henderson warms up before the English Premier League match between Chelsea and Bournemouth in London, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
Arsenal's Bruno Guimaraes celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Leeds United in London, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. ( John Walton/PA via AP)
Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta, left, leaves the field with Leeds' head coach Daniel Farke at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Leeds United in London, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Leeds react disappointed after the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Leeds United in London, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Arsenal's Riccardo Calafiori celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Leeds United in London, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Arsenal's Bruno Guimaraes, centre, challenges for the ball with Leeds' James Justin, right, during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Leeds United in London, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
