Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Tuesday, August, 18, 2026
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Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all. - Dale Carnegie
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Current racing:
- August 18 - 21: Tour du Limousin-Périgord
Upcoming racing:
- August 19 - 23: Renewi Tour
- August 22 - Sept 13: Vuelta a España
Latest completed racing:
- August 13 - 18: Arctic Race of Norway
- August 16: Cyclassics Hamburg
- August 16: La Polynormande
- 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 update from Vingegaard’s Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
Jonas Vingegaard will not race again for Team Visma | Lease a Bike this season. He is still experiencing the effects of the collarbone fracture he sustained in his crash in the Tour de France. As a result, it is not possible for him to work towards new racing goals for 2026 in the short term.
Jonas Vingegaard in the Vuelta's GC leader's red jersey after stage 20. Sirotti photo.
The Dane, who won Paris-Nice, the Volta a Catalunya and, of course, the Giro d’Italia this year, will focus on his recovery and training in the coming period. With this, he hopes to lay the foundations for another successful season.
Jonas Vingegaard: “After a long and intense racing period, a recovery period was planned after the Tour de France anyway. Due to the collarbone injury, the start of my training has been delayed and it is not possible for me to get back to top level in the coming period. The focus is on preparing optimally for the goals of the 2027 season. I will discuss these specific goals with the team in the coming period.”
Marc Reef: “As announced at the start of the season, we would take stock of the remaining part of the season after the Tour de France. After a busy period with many days of racing and the collarbone fracture Jonas sustained in the Tour de France, it is best for him to focus on 2027. Together with Jonas, we will look at the right training build-up and goals for the new year over the coming weeks.”
Here’s the post from team Lotto-Intermarché:
After six great seasons together, Arnaud De Lie and Lotto-Intermarché will part ways at the end of 2026. The 24-year-old Belgian progressed through the team’s Development Team to become a professional rider and one of its absolute leaders, delivering no fewer than 35 victories for Lotto. He will now embark on a new chapter in his career.
Arnaud De Lie heads to the start of 2025 Tour de France stage 17. Sirotti photo
Arnaud De Lie embodies what Lotto-Intermarché stands for: developing homegrown talent and allowing young riders to grow at their own pace, in a familiar, family-oriented and professional environment, into the best possible version of themselves. Some talents stay for their entire careers, while others eventually spread their wings. And that is what De Lie will do at the end of this season.
Arnaud De Lie joined the Lotto-Soudal Development Team in 2021 from Crabbé Toitures-CC Chevigny Junior, with whom the team was working at the time to scout young riders. In his first season with us, De Lie immediately claimed six victories as well as a string of podium finishes. Under the guidance of the team, he made the step up to the professional peloton just one year later, at only 19 years of age, and quickly proved to be an exceptional talent. In his first year as a professional, he took nine victories, and over the following years he developed into one of the team’s absolute leaders and most recognisable faces.
Jean-François Bourlart, General manager of Lotto-Intermarché: “In his five seasons as a professional rider with our team, Arnaud De Lie delivered 35 victories for us. His Belgian national title in Zottegem, the overall victory at the Renewi Tour and the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec are perhaps the most memorable, but there were also fantastic victories in Binche-Chimay-Binche, Denmark, the Tour de Wallonie, the Bretagne Classic… We look back very fondly on the story we have written together. It is a pity that our paths will now separate, but we can only be proud of everything we have achieved together so far. We are determined to make it a great end to the season together, and of course we wish him every success with whatever comes next.”
Arnaud De Lie: “Lotto-Intermarché is my first professional team and it always will be. It is the team where I grew up, learned and was given the confidence to become a professional rider. Together, we have experienced so many great moments, from my first professional victory at the Trofeo Palma to my Belgian national title. I am extremely grateful to everyone within the team for their help, support and trust over the past years. After this season, a new chapter begins for me, but Lotto-Intermarché will always remain an important part of my story.”
Until the end of the season, Arnaud De Lie and Lotto-Intermarché remain fully focused on their sporting goals together. The Renewi Tour will be next, followed by, among others, the Bretagne Classic and the Canadian races.
And here's the news from where's De Lie is going, the Tudor Pro Cycling Team:
Tudor Pro Cycling welcomes Arnaud De Lie starting next season and is thrilled to team up with the Belgian through 2030.
At just 24 years old, the Classics specialist, powerful sprinter, and versatile all-rounder already has an impressive list of palmarès to his name and will play a pivotal role in Tudor Pro Cycling’s vision to excel at the highest level and shape the Team’s future.
Arnaud de Lie wins the 2023 Circuit Franco-Belge.
"I’m happy to join the Team and can’t wait to get started! My priority is to settle in, get to know the Team, and keep improving as a rider. Instead of talking about big goals right away, I want to work hard and see how far we can progress together. That’s the key to long-term success," says Arnaud De Lie. "From my very first meeting with Tudor Pro Cycling, I felt a strong sense of trust, which makes me even more excited and motivated to join the Team. I was impressed by how this young Team operates and performs at such a high level, paying attention to every detail. Their strong desire to understand each rider individually and discover what helps them develop and perform is something I truly value."
Raphael Meyer, Tudor Pro Cycling CEO and Co-Owner, adds: "It is with great pleasure that we welcome Arnaud to Tudor Pro Cycling! Having the opportunity to work with him in the coming years marks an important step in our vision to build the future of the Team. As a rider with an attacking style and a shared passion for the Classics, he perfectly matches our daring approach to racing. With a long-term contract, we are committed to supporting him in reaching his full potential and developing both as a rider and as a young individual. This aligns with our values and our ambition to propel the Team to excellence at the highest level."
Arnaud De Lie recently visited the soon-to-be-completed Team headquarters in Sursee, Switzerland. As the ink on his new contract was drying, he toured the state-of-the-art facilities and gained firsthand insight into Tudor Pro Cycling’s structure and long-term ambitions.
"Visiting the Team’s new headquarters in Sursee was a fantastic experience - one that truly confirmed I’d made the right decision."
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Here’s the team’s news:
Our next World Tour appointment will be the Renewi Tour, which starts from Diest and concludes in Leuven, home to Belgium’s oldest university, founded more than six centuries ago. In the absence of an individual time trial, the many hills punctuating the course will be decisive in the final outcome, with the stage to Geraardsbergen and the one finishing in Bilzen-Hoeselt expected to be decisive in the fight for the general classification.
The Renewi Tour will be Tim Merlier’s first outing with the team since his winning three stages at the Tour de France and cementing his status as the world’s best sprinter. The most successful rider of the team this season, Tim has four wins at the Renewi Tour and will look to add to this tally at the 21st edition, which gets underway on Wednesday.
Tim Merlier wins stage one of the 2025 Renewi Tour.
Ayco Bastiaens, Pepijn Reinderink - who comes after a solid display at the Czech Tour last week - Martin Svrcek, Dylan van Baarle, a top five finisher at the race in 2018, Bert Van Lerberghe and Louis Vervaeke will also be in action at the World Tour race which takes in more than 900 kilometers this year.
“The Renewi Tour is always one of the hardest races on the calendar. It’s only five days, but it’s WorldTour level and almost feels like riding five Classics in a row. The first two stages should offer opportunities for the sprinters, but after that it becomes much harder. Geraardsbergen is traditionally a very demanding stage, while the final day around Leuven, using roads from the World Championships, will also be extremely tough. It’s typical Belgian racing: nervous, hectic and always very competitive.”
“Tim Merlier is our leader and our biggest chance for a stage victory, so we have built a strong and experienced team around him. Bert Van Lerberghe and Ayco Bastiaens will be important for controlling the race and positioning Tim, while riders such as Dylan van Baarle give us plenty of strength and versatility for the harder stages. We have a really good all-round team for what will be a very demanding week.”
“The goal is certainly to win a stage. If we achieve that, we can already be happy, and anything more is a bonus. The level is incredibly high, with riders such as Jonathan Milan and Jasper Philipsen among the best sprinters in the world on the start line. I didn’t always look forward to this race as a rider because of how hectic it is, but I’m definitely looking forward to it more now as a sports director!”, said sports director Iljo Keisse.
Here's their update:
Bahrain Victorious heads to the Renewi Tour with a strong selection of punchy Classics riders ready for five days of hard Belgian racing. With no individual time trial this year, positioning, being in the right moves and collecting the valuable Green Bonus seconds are expected to play a decisive role in the fight for the general classification.
Matej Mohorič and Alec Segaert lead the lineup, with both riders keeping a close eye on the overall classification. Segaert returns to a race where he finished an impressive second overall in 2024, while Mohorič’s experience and ability across the demanding Belgian terrain make him another key option for the team. Vlad Van Mechelen also provides the team with a strong GC option following a solid showing at the Tour de France.
Alec Segaert racing in stage 2 of the 2024 Renewi Tour. Sirotti photo
For the expected bunch sprints, Zak Eržen and Alessandro Borgo give the team two fast options. Borgo arrives in particularly good form and could be particularly well suited to the tougher sprint finishes.
Kamil Gradek takes on the role of road captain and will provide key support throughout the five stages alongside Rob Stannard, with both riders returning to racing following the Tour de France.
The five-stage Renewi Tour gets underway on Wednesday, 19 August in Diest before concluding in Leuven. Three stages are expected to favour the bunch sprinters, while Stages 3 and 5 will provide more selective racing for the GC contenders and are likely to play a decisive role in shaping the overall classification. With no time trial to create significant gaps, the Green Kilometre and its 3-2-1 bonus seconds will add another important tactical dimension to the battle for the overall.
Nikolas Maes, Sports Director:
“We come here with a strong group and several different options. Alec is in good shape, Matej Mohorič gives us an attacking option, Vlad Van Mechelen has come out of the Tour de France well, and Alessandro Borgo is also showing a very high level at the moment.
With three stages likely to end in bunch sprints, alongside two harder days, we can approach the race in different ways. With Matej and Alec, we can look to race aggressively and create opportunities, while Vlad also gives us a strong option for the GC. We also have Zak and Alessandro as our options in the sprints.
The Green Kilometre will also be important. Those bonus seconds can make a real difference to the GC, so from the beginning of the race we need to be alert and ready to fight for them.
The level here is always high, and this year a lot of teams are bringing very strong sprint lineups. In the pure bunch sprints, we’ll look for top-five and potentially podium results, but our biggest opportunities could come when the racing becomes harder. We want to be one of the teams making the race difficult rather than waiting for others.
We’re looking forward to a strong Renewi Tour. After disappointing results in Burgos and Poland, the team is motivated to respond and we’re ready for the challenge.”
Alec Segaert:
“I’m looking forward to the Renewi Tour after having a great result here in 2024. Unfortunately, there’s no time trial this year, so for the GC a lot will come down to the harder stages, particularly Geraardsbergen and the Muur.
I think we have a really competitive team, with Matej and Vlad also giving us strong options. We need to race aggressively, and I think we have a good chance of coming away with a strong result.
Without the time trial, the bonus seconds will be even more important in deciding the GC, so we’ll also look to fight for those opportunities throughout the race.”
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Here's Vuelta news from Team Jayco-AlUla:
Team Jayco AlUla will line up at the 81st edition of La Vuelta a España with a young and motivated team, headed by British talent Paul Double.
With one Grand Tour already under his belt, the 30-year-old will be looking to take every opportunity to hunt stage wins during the third and final Grand Tour of the season.
Paul Double wins stage five of the 2025 Tour of Guangxi. He was the GC winner of that year's edition.
Starting in Monte Carlo next Saturday, the Spanish tour will skip the tradition final stage in Madrid and for 2026, draw its conclusion in Granada on September 13th, following a route almost entirely Mediterranean.
Youthful motivation
Alongside the Tour of Guangxi winner Double, fellow Briton Finlay Pickeringwill be looking to perform on the hiller stages with this year’s course suiting the duo’s characteristics with no less than six major mountain stages to come. Like Double, the 23-year-old has one Grand Tour ticked off after already experiencing La Vuelta in 2025.
Adding an extra abundance of energy and motivation to the team will be a trio of Grand Tour debutants. Two young Australians in the shape of Rudy Porter and Hamish McKenzie, who are both ready to support the team leaders, whilst gaining valuable experience for the future.
Dane Asbjørn Hellemose adds another hint of determination to the squad as the 27-year-old will finally make his Grand Tour debut and be seeking out every opportunity to jump into breakaways.
Valuable Experience
At his first Grand Tour in Team Jayco AlUla colours, Italian Alessandro Covi, will be looking to achieve results not only in the hilly stages but also the flatter days when the peloton arrives in a bigger group, with the 27-year-old an extremely versatile rider in the team’s roster.
Rounding out the squad will be two experienced men with German Jasha Sütterlin, a key rider to support the leaders with a strong engine that will be invaluable when it comes to positioning on the flat. Dutch climber Koen Bouwmanis set to start his 13th Grand Tour and will bring a huge amount of experience to guide the fairly youthful squad.
Team Jayco AlUla at the 2026 La Vuelta a España:
Koen Bouwman (NED) – 5th appearance
Alessandro Covi (ITA) – Debut at La Vuelta
Paul Double (GBR) – Debut at La Vuelta
Asbjørn Hellemose (DEN) – Debut at La Vuelta
Hamish McKenzie (AUS) – Debut at La Vuelta
Finlay Pickering (GBR) – 2nd appearance
Rudy Porter (AUS) – Debut at La Vuelta
Jasha Sütterlin (GER) – 5th appearance
Paul Double:
“I’m very much looking forward to lining up at La Vuelta with GreenEDGE. It will be my second Grand Tour and hopefully with everything learnt last year I can have more success. I’ve been re-finding my legs in the last few races so I’m hoping to capitalise wherever opportunities reveal themselves. For sure it’ll be a tough few weeks ahead but I’m looking forward to racing in Spain, also a chance to brush up on my Spanish which is quickly becoming rusty.”
David McPartland (Sport Director):
“We are heading to the Vuelta this year with the goal of chasing stage results. We have a young and very motivated team for the final Grand Tour of the season. A lot of riders will be making their debut at the race, this brings a lot of added motivation and we’re looking forward to seeing what they can achieve. Hopefully many stages that will end with breaks going to the line and, for sure, we are looking to take every possible opportunity we can to get the most out of this race and end the season on a high.”
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And here's the Vuelta preview from Team XDS Astana:
XDS Astana Team is ready for the last Grand Tour of the season – La Vuelta Ciclista a España, which will be held from August 22nd to September 13th. The race will start with the individual time trial in Monaco and will finish in Granada.
Yevgeniy Fedorov in 2024
Rider roster: Yevgeniy Fedorov, Lorenzo Fortunato, Victor Langellotti, Henok Mulubrhan, Alessandro Romele, Cristián Rodríguez, Harold Tejada, Darren Van Bekkum.