Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Tuesday, August, 11, 2026
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Upcoming racing:
- August 13 - 18: Arctic Race of Norway
- August 16: Cyclassics Hamburg
Latest completed racing:
- August 3 - 9: Tour of Poland
- August 4 - 8: Vuelta a Burgos
- July 29 - August 2: Tour of Denmark
- August 2: Circuito de Getxo
- August 1: Clasica San Sebastian
- July 28 - 30: Tour de l'Ain
- July 4 - 26: Tour de France
- July 26: Vuelta a Castilla y Leon
- July 8 - 12: Tour of Austria
- June 24 - 28: National Championshps
- June 17 - 21: Tour de Suisse
- June 17 - 21: Baloise Belgium Tour
Here’s the team’s announcement:
NSN Cycling Team will be bolstered by the arrival of Santiago Buitrago on a three-year contract through to 2029.
Buitrago will add depth to the team’s roster, strengthening the team’s General Classification ambitions at Grand Tours and stage races in the years to come.
The Bogotá-born rider has built an impressive palmarès during his seven-year career, including stage victories at the Grand Tour and WorldTour level, while continuing to develop as a General Classification contender.
“The arrival of Santiago Buitrago represents an important addition to NSN Cycling Team’s long-term sporting project, and we are thrilled to have Santiago in NSN colors over the next three years,” says General Manager Kjell Carlström.
Santiago Buitrago wins the 2026 Trofeo Laigueglia. Sirotti photo
“Despite a career already spanning seven years, at just 26-years-old, Santiago has a long career ahead of him and room for continued growth as a rider. In addition to Santiago’s stage and General Classification victories, he has finished inside the top ten at the Tour de France and Vuelta a España, and we believe the best is yet to come.
“Beyond his own leadership opportunities, Buitrago’s climbing ability and experience will give NSN Cycling Team greater tactical flexibility across the WorldTour calendar.
“His signing forms part of the team’s continued investment in a roster capable of challenging across multiple race formats, building on the team’s focus of sprinting and opportunistic racing in 2026.”
Buitrago has won consistently over the past five years, with his win at Trofeo Laigueglia this year marking his first victory at a one-day race, but the Colombian feels it’s time for a new chapter with NSN Cycling Team.
“After seven years in Bahrain Victorious, I felt it was the right time for a new challenge,” explains Buitrago. “I experienced some very important moments there, growing as a cyclist and as a person, but I also wanted to step outside my comfort zone and find a different environment that would help me continue to evolve.
“I was really impressed by the NSN sporting project and the confidence the team showed in me from the beginning. I feel we share the same ambition and that this is a place where I can continue to develop and fight for important goals.
“I still feel I have a lot of room to grow, so in the next three years, I want to keep taking steps forward and become an increasingly complete and consistent rider. My main goal will be to remain competitive in stage races and continue to develop in the Grand Tours.
“I would like to fight for the GC when I have the opportunity and also help the team achieve the best possible results. I’m very motivated to start this new chapter and repay the confidence the team is giving me with results.”
Buitrago is the first new rider to be announced for 2027, joining Jens Verbrugghe, who will step up from the NSN Development Team.
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Here’s the team’s news:
Lars Craps will remain part of Lotto-Intermarché in the coming years. The 24-year-old Belgian has extended his contract with the team until the end of 2028. After a season in which he fought his way back impressively following knee surgery, both parties have full confidence in continuing their journey together.
Craps joined Lotto-Intermarché at the start of 2025 and quickly showed that he possesses a powerful engine and a versatile profile. The Belgian feels at home in demanding one-day races and hilly stage races, but suffered another setback at the start of this season with a knee injury. After months of rehabilitation, he fought his way back to a high level and crowned his comeback with his first participation in the Tour de France.
Lars Craps
“I am very happy to be able to continue my journey with Lotto-Intermarché,” says Craps. “The team has supported me in every possible way over the past two years. Thanks to that support, I was able to bounce back from my knee injury this spring, enjoy a great Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and make my Tour de France debut. We both believe there’s still plenty of room to grow, so continuing this journey together was the obvious choice.”
Jean-François Bourlart, General manager Lotto-Intermarché: “Lars has shown an incredible amount of character over the past few months. After undergoing knee surgery once again, he worked his way back to a high level with great patience and discipline. He has a powerful engine, is a rider who can both pursue his own opportunities and fully commit himself to the team, and we believe he is still far from reaching his full potential. That is why we are particularly pleased that he has committed his future to Lotto-Intermarché until the end of 2028.”
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Here’s the team’s update:
Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team is pleased to announce the signing of Czech sprinter Pavel Bittner, who will join the team from 1 January 2027 on a two-year agreement.
Widely regarded as one of the peloton's most exciting young sprint prospects, the 23-year-old joins the team attracted by its long-term vision and unique factory philosophy, where innovation is driven through close collaboration between riders and leading performance partners.
Pavel Bittner at the start of 2026 Tour de France stage 8. Sirotti photo
Still only 23, Bittner has already gained valuable experience at the highest level of the sport, completing two editions of the Tour de France while also claiming a stage victory at La Vuelta a España. His development has continued throughout the 2026 season with a string of impressive performances, including podium finishes at Scheldeprijs, Bredene Koksijde Classic and the opening stage of the Volta ao Algarve, confirming both his speed and his growing consistency against some of the world's finest sprinters.
Raised in a family with deep roots in cycling, Bittner has built his career through talent, determination and an unwavering desire to improve. His arrival further strengthens the team's long-term sporting vision of investing in young riders with the potential to develop into world-class competitors while embracing a culture where innovation, performance and collaboration go hand in hand.
"From the outside I could already see how much this Team has grown over the last couple of seasons. Every conversation confirmed the same feeling: it's an ambitious project, but also one where people genuinely enjoy racing together. That family atmosphere really mattered to me because I believe you perform at your best when you truly enjoy the environment you're part of."
Pavel Bittner
Pavel Bittner said: "What really excites me is joining a team built around a genuine performance philosophy. In modern cycling every detail makes a difference, and having brands like Pinarello, Q36.5 and Amacx fully integrated into the project creates a real advantage. The opportunity to work directly with the people developing the bikes, apparel and nutrition is something quite unique in our sport, and I'm really looking forward to being part of that process."
"Over the last couple of seasons I've become a more complete rider. I've learned to stay calmer in the decisive moments and I know there's still another step to take. My ambition is to become a consistent winner, fight for victories in the biggest races and keep improving every year."
"Pavel represents exactly the type of rider we want to build our future around. His talent has never been in question, but what impressed us most is his mindset. He's ambitious, analytical and constantly looking for ways to improve, qualities that fit perfectly with the culture we are building as a team."
Doug Ryder, Team principal
Doug Ryder said : "At just 23 years of age he has already experienced two Tour de France campaigns, won a Grand Tour stage and continued to show remarkable progression this season. We believe his best years are still ahead of him and we're excited to support his development as he continues his journey towards becoming one of the leading sprinters in professional cycling."
Bittner will officially become a Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team rider on 1 January 2027, beginning a two-year agreement as the team continues to invest in talented young riders with the potential to compete for victories at the very highest level.
Editors' Notes
Pavel Bittner:
Date of birth: 29 October 2002
Nationality: Czech
Place of birth: Olomouc, Czech Republic
Joins Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team from 1 January 2027
Contract: Two years
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The team posted this news:
Soudal Quick-Step is delighted to announce that Lorenzo Milesi will join the team from next season on a three-year contract.
Hailing from San Pellegrino Terme, a small town located just 25 kilometers from Bergamo, Lorenzo turned professional four years ago following an impressive spell in the U23 ranks. During that time, he won stages at the Triptyque des Monts et Châteaux and the Tour de l’Avenir, before producing a huge display of power over the 36.2km individual time trial course in Stirling to claim the U23 World Championship title.
Lorenzo Milesi finishes 2026 Giro d'Italia stage five. Sirotti photo
Since stepping up to the World Tour, Lorenzo has come close to taking his first professional victory on several occasions and has already started four Grand Tours. His most recent came at this season’s Giro d’Italia, where he recorded three top-ten finishes: two from the breakaway, in Potenza and Fermo, and another in the race’s only individual time trial, in Massa.
“When I began cycling, this team was one of my favourites, so you can imagine my joy at the prospect of wearing this jersey from next year, especially after having joined the squad for a training camp during my junior days. It was quite an easy decision for me to make”, said Milesi after signing a three-year deal.
Lorenzo has strong personal ambitions for his first year with the squad and is excited to continue his development as part of Soudal Quick-Step: “I love time trials, but I also do well on short climbs, and I hope to improve in both areas next season. I want to be there for the team, help it win whenever it needs me and show what I’m capable of, while also going for some nice personal results when I get the opportunity.”
Soudal Quick-Step CEO Jürgen Foré is confident the Italian can continue to make significant progress over the next three years: “We’ve known Lorenzo for some time now and are well aware of what he is capable of. He is much more than just a time trialist, and it’s this impressive range of skills, together with the determination he has shown so far in his career that convinced us he could be a perfect fit for our team.”
“We’re looking forward to working with him and hopefully creating some beautiful memories together over the next three seasons.”