Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Thursday, August, 13, 2026
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Current racing:
- August 13 - 18: Arctic Race of Norway
Upcoming racing:
- August 16: Cyclassics Hamburg
- August 16: La Polynormande
- August 18 - 21: Tour du Limousin-Périgord
- August 19 - 23: Renewi Tour
- August 22 - Sept 13: Vuelta a España
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 update:
XDS Astana Team will take part in the 2.Pro stage race Arctic Race of Norway, which will be held from August 13th to 16th.
Rider roster: Anton Kuzmin, Darren Van Bekkum, Thomas Silva, Marco Schrettl, Nikiforos Arvanitou and XDS Astana Development Team rider Artem Fofonov.
Thomas Silva after stage
two of the 2026 Giro d'Italia. Sirotti photo
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Here’s the team’s news:
Two squads from Caja Rural-Seguros RGA will follow parallel paths starting this Thursday. The Czech Tour and Norway’s Arctic Race are the next targets for the team during a month defined by ProSeries stage races—two events where the "Green Team" aims to play a leading role.
[Ed note: BikeRaceInfo does not cover the Czech Tour]
Nerves and excitement in the Arctic
While the team has raced in Norway before, this marks Caja Rural-Seguros RGA’s debut in the Arctic Race—the northernmost professional event on the cycling calendar. It promises to be a unique experience, defined by both the scenery and temperatures far colder than usual for August. The race is split into two initial stages—better suited for a bunch sprint, despite the climbs on the opening day in Myre—and two more demanding finishes in Melbu and Narvik, where riders will test their strength on climbs of around 3 km featuring average gradients of approximately 10%.
Sebastian Berwick finishing stage 12 of the 2023 Giro d'Italia. Sirotti photo
These explosive finales will see Caja Rural-Seguros RGA led by Aritz Bagües, supported by a squad comprising Sebastian Berwick, Joseba López, Álex Díaz, Joel Nicolau, Iker Villar, and the Catalan rider Marc Rubirola, who will make his debut as a *stagiaire* with the first team in Norway.
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Here’s the team’s update:
After a very positive start to the second half of the season, with strong performances both in the Spanish classics and in Denmark, Team Polti VisitMalta enjoyed a weekend away from racing before returning to competition on two fronts, in the Czech Republic and Norway, from Thursday to Sunday.
[Ed note: BikeRaceInfo does not cover the Czech Tour]
Both the Czech Tour and the Arctic Race of Norway are high-level ProSeries events, with Team Polti VisitMalta also making its debut in the latter. A total of thirteen riders will be in action throughout the week. In the Czech Republic, brothers Mattia and Davide Bais will line up alongside Fernando Tercero, Fabrizio Crozzolo, Fran Muñoz, Thomas Pesenti and Alessandro Tonelli. Meanwhile, six riders will travel to Norway: Ludovico Crescioli, Dario Giuliano, Giovanni Lonardi, Mirco Maestri, Andrea Mifsud and Andrea Pietrobon.
Mirco Maestri after stage 12 of the 2024 Giro d'Italia. Sirotti photo
In Norway, with two stages that, on paper, offer greater opportunities for the sprinters, followed by two tougher days featuring uphill finishes that should prove decisive in the battle for the overall classification.
Giovanni Ellena, Sports Director: “With three uphill finishes across four stages, this will be a race particularly suited to the climbers. We will start with Pesenti and Tercero as our main climbing options, supported by experienced riders such as Tonelli, Mattia and Davide Bais, as well as Muñoz, who rode a great Tour of Denmark, and a young rider like Crozzolo. We will try to give our best across these four stages, knowing that three WorldTour teams will be on the start line, along with several ProTeams featuring some very strong climbers.”
Francesco Gavazzi, Sports Director: “We will have six riders at the Arctic Race of Norway, with a competitive team for every stage. The first two stages are more straightforward, with a bunch sprint looking very likely. We will have Lonardi and will try to support him in the best possible way. At the Tour of Denmark, he improved day by day after a month without racing, and he could be in even better shape here. The third and fourth stages will be tougher.
Crescioli will be our main option, while Dario and Mifsud will also look to achieve a good result in the general classification. Dario has shown that he is in good shape, while Mifsud returns to racing. Pietrobon and Mirco will complete the lineup. Mirco will have an important role in managing the race, while Pietrobon returns after a month and a half away from competition and can be important in the more aggressive stages and the intermediate classifications. We have a competitive lineup, although the level will be high with several WorldTour teams at the start. We are going there to perform well and show the good work we have been doing over the past few months.”
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Here’s the team’s announcement:
Marco Brenner and Tudor Pro Cycling are making it official — and long-term. With a contract extension running through 2030, this isn’t just a deal. It’s a declaration of a shared future, ambition and trust.
Some riders take years to find their footing at the professional level. Marco Brenner wasn’t one of them.
Marco Brenner after stage seven of the 2026 Tour of Poland. Sirotti photo
Turning pro at just 19 in 2021, he arrived at Tudor Pro Cycling in 2024. Within his first season in the colors of Tudor Pro Cycling, he claimed the German Championship title and added a stage victory at Coppi e Bartali, underlining his talent and potential. By 2026, he was challenging the world’s best early in the season at the Tour Down Under, finishing a strong 4th overall. Most recently Marco won his first World Tour stage race with the Tour de Pologne after a week of offensive racing and several podium finishes.
But racing is only part of who Marco is. In 2023 — while still establishing himself as a professional — he founded his own junior cycling team in Augsburg, Germany, investing in the next generation of riders from his home region. It’s the kind of move that speaks to a bigger picture: a rider who doesn’t just want to win, but also wants to support the next generation.
Building The Future
For Tudor Pro Cycling, it means anchoring their future around a rider with the talent, the character, and the drive to compete at the highest level for years to come.“Marco is a young rider we truly believe in” said Raphael Meyer, CEO of the Team. “His rehabilitation and return to racing after his severe crash at the 2025 Giro d’Italia are a testament to his fighting spirit – a quality that also defines him as a racer. Last week’s Tour de Pologne was a perfect example of Marco’s determination and resilience, and a great result of both tremendous teamwork and our born to dare racing spirit.”
For Marco, it means stability and trust to chase his biggest goals in cycling. “I am really happy to extend my contract and continue my journey with Tudor Pro Cycling. When I joined the Team in 2024, I found a nice environment that allowed me to perform and find joy. And when I was injured and working on my way back last year, I was given the time and support I needed. I now look forward to adding a few more years to this journey.”
Marco is now in the final phase of his preparation for the Vuelta a Espana, where he is looking to build on his recent progress and have a strong three weeks.