Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Wednesday, June 24, 2026
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Upcoming racing:
- June 24 - 28: National Championshps
- July 4 - 26: Tour de France
- July 7 - 12: Tour of Austria
Latest completed racing:
- June 17 - 21: Tour de Suisse
- June 17 - 21: Baloise Belgium Tour
- June 7 - 14: Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- June 14: Copenhagen Sprint
- June 14: GP Gippingen/Canton Aargau
- June 10: Circuit Franco-Belge
- June 7: Brussels Cycling Classic
- June 1 - 5: Ethias-Tour de Wallone
- May 8 - 31: Giro d'Italia
- May 28 - 31:
Tour of Norway - May 20 - 24: 4 Jours de Dunkerque
- May 23: Veenendaal - Veenendaal
- May 19: Classique Dunkerque
- May 17: Rund um Köln
- May 16: Tour du Finistère
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Here’s the team’s news:
A total of 27 riders will be in action this week in eight different countries.
It’s one of the best and most exciting weeks of the whole year, the week the national titles will take place, and Soudal Quick-Step has a long tradition in these events. In the past 23 years, our team has won a total of 73 gold medals, the most recent of which came last season, in the time trial races of Belgium, Germany and Great Britain.
This week, from Wednesday to Sunday, 27 of our riders (including two Devo ones) will pin on a number for the various races being held across Europe, and sports director Tom Steels is confident in their chances of adding to The Wolfpack’s remarkable tally: “In Belgium we have good chances to get medals in both events: the ITT, which has an atypical and technical course with narrow roads, but also the road race, where we go with a really strong team. In France, Paul and Valentin are very motivated, but it won’t be easy on that demanding course against two teams who come with a lot of riders at the start.”
“Ethan is one of the ITT specialists, so let’s see what he can do in Great Britain, where he has the qualities to get a good result also in the road race. Italy puts on the table an interesting route, where different scenarios are possible and we have several cards there. We are confident also in the other guys, like Dylan in the Netherlands time trial, Max who has the legs to fight for a podium in both races in Germany, but also Casper - who always does well and is strong in this type of race - and Martin, who has shown some really nice things in France a couple of weeks ago and is incredibly motivated for this weekend.”
Belgium:
ITT (26 June) - Etikhove - Etikhove (41.3km): Yves Lampaert, Ilan Van Wilder, Louis Vervaeke.
RR (28 June) - Antwerpen - Brasschaat (236.7km): Ayco Bastiaens, Steff Cras, Cériel Desal, Gil Gelders, Yves Lampaert, Tim Merlier, Jasper Stuyven, Fabio Van den Bossche, Dries Van Gestel, Bert Van Lerberghe, Stan Van Tricht, Ilan Van Wilder, Mauri Vansevenant, Jonathan Vervenne.
Tim Wellens is the current Belgian road champion. Here he is winning the 2026 Classica Jaen.
Denmark:
RR (28 June) - Herning - Herning (218.6km): Casper Pedersen.
France:
RR (28 June) - La Tour-du-Pin - La Tour-du-Pin (241.7km): Paul Magnier, Valentin Paret-Peintre.
Germany:
ITT (26 June) - Streufdorf - Streufdorf (40.1km): Maximilian Schachmann.
RR (28 June) - Bad Liebenstein - Bad Liebenstein (191.2km): Maximilian Schachmann.
Great Britain:
ITT (25 June) - Lampeter - Lampeter (38.3km): Ethan Hayter.
RR (28 June) - Aberystwyth - Aberystwyth (187.3km): Ethan Hayter.
Italy:
RR (27 June) - Asti - Cuneo (232.8km): Alberto Dainese, Gianmarco Garofoli, Andrea Raccagni, Filippo Zana.
Netherlands:
ITT (24 June) - Laren - Laren (35.8km): Dylan van Baarle.
RR (28 June) - Nijmegen - Nijmegen-Kwakkenberg (160.2km): Pascal Eenkhoorn, Pepijn Reinderink, Dylan van Baarle.
Slovakia:
ITT (25 June) - Unicov - Unicov (48.1km): Martin Svrcek.
RR (28 June) - Jesenik - Jesenik (209.3km): Martin Svrcek.
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Here’s the team’s announcement:
UAE Team Emirates-XRG are pleased to announce the contract renewal of Jhonatan Narváez, with the Ecuadorian extending his stay with the team through to the end of the 2029 season.
Joining the Emirati squad ahead of the 2025 campaign, Narváez quickly established himself as one of the most versatile and valuable riders in the peloton, winning his first race in team colours at the Tour Down Under in Australia. The Ecuadorian has also become an integral part of the team’s success across Grand Tours, Classics and stage races, helping Tadej Pogačar to success at the 2025 Tour de France.
Jhonatan Narvaez winning stage three of the 2026 Tour of Switzerland. Sirotti photo
Despite a serious injury in January, Narváez has enjoyed a strong 2026 season, highlighted by a remarkable Giro d’Italia campaign in which he claimed three stage victories, wore the ciclamino jersey and emerged as one of the race’s dominant protagonists. He also added a recent stage victory at the Tour de Suisse and continues to demonstrate the attacking style and versatility that have made him one of the most exciting riders in the WorldTour.
The 29-year-old’s extension represents another important piece of UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s long-term project, securing one of cycling’s most dynamic riders through the prime years of his career.
Jhonatan Narváez:
“I’m very happy to extend my contract with UAE Team Emirates-XRG. From the moment I arrived, I felt the confidence of the team and I quickly knew this was the right place for me. We have an incredible group of riders and staff, and every day there is a real desire to improve and win together.
"The last two seasons have been some of the best of my career and I believe I can continue to grow here. We have already achieved a lot together, but I feel there is still much more to come. I’m excited to continue this journey and to keep contributing to the success of this team in the years ahead.”
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Here’s the team’s update:
We’ve reached that week of the year that closes the month of June, opens the summer season and awards the national champion jerseys in many cycling nations. A week in which Team Polti VisitMalta shows up with the majority of its roster!
In Italy, the racing will take place almost entirely in Piedmont’s largest province. On Thursday, a 40-kilometre ITT with 500 metres of elevation gain, from Vicoforte to Barolo: a demanding day that will see, among others, Mattia Bais, Dario Igor Belletta and Mirco Maestri on the start line — the latter finishing in the top-10 last year in Friuli and winning gold with the Italian mixed relay team at the 2024 European Championships.
Mirco Maestri winning stage eighteen of the 2026 Giro d'Italia. Sirotti photo
Saturday brings the road race: 232.5 km from Asti to Cuneo. Mostly flat, though with short punchy climbs scattered mainly in the first half of the course and a town finish that will put sprinters to the test. All 12 of Italian Polti VisitMalta cyclists will be at the start: alongside Belletta, captain Maestri and Mattia Bais, there will be his brother Davide, twins Tommaso and Gabriele Bessega, Giovanni Lonardi, Andrea Pietrobon, Gabriele Raccagni, Ludovico Crescioli, Alessandro Tonelli and Thomas Pesenti, who stood on the podium last year in Gorizia with his previous team.
This edition of the national championships carries a personal flavour for sports director Giovanni Ellena, who is himself from Piedmont region. His analysis: “On paper, the Cuneo route suits a sprint finish and we are one of the largest contingents, so we’ll need to take on some responsibilities and lead out Lonardi in the best possible way. Two days earlier, meanwhile, we’ll aim for a strong result with our three riders in a tricky time trial.”