Lesser known races 2026 edition

[Samamba]

I expected more from Lapeira in this race. At least a stage win.

Wouldve won yesterday if he didn't let himself get boxed in tbf

Parcours just not hard enough for him this week.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Kubis trying to kill the bike...

 

[Netserk]

kubis 4th in gc
larsen 5th

 

[Samamba]

Damn that's rough for TDT. Not even a podium in GC

But I guess it's normal that these 3 are just stronger on this parcours.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

GC:

1	11	▲10	Costiou Ewen	Groupama - FDJ United	125	100		13:59:22
2	5	▲3	Lapeira Paul	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	85	70	4″	0:02
3	14	▲11	Decomble Maxime	Groupama - FDJ United	70	50		0:12
4	1	▼3	Kubiš Lukáš	Unibet Rose Rockets	60	36	18″	0:15
5	13	▲8	Larsen Niklas	Unibet Rose Rockets	50	28		0:17
6	20	▲14	Teuns Dylan	Cofidis	40	24		0:32
7	6	▼1	Kockelmann Mathieu	Lotto Intermarché	35	20	10″	,,
8	4	▼4	Izquierdo Clément	Cofidis	30	18	4″	0:36
9	21	▲12	Azparren Xabier Mikel	Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	25	16		0:38
10	9	▼1	Lozouet Léandre	CIC Pro Cycling Academy	20	14		0:39

Very good win for Costiou. Excellent day of racing.

 

[Samamba]

200 UCI points for FDJ were more than welcome after a rough start of the season.

 

[RedheadDane]

CQ, go home... you're drunk!

Rank	Rider
1.​	COSTA Ares
2.​	LAPEIRA Paul
3.​	DECOMBLE Maxime

Nevermind, they fixed it.
But that was random...

 

[RedheadDane]

Hold on, this can't be right...
According to both FirstCycling and PCS, Trek will be starting with only 6 riders in Provence, using the number 2-7.
I know Mads P. is the defending champion, and won't be riding, but he's hardly the first - or the last - rider to be unable to defend a title in a race, either due to injury, or simply because of the schedule.
Not using the number 1 because he isn't riding seems a bit... strange...

 

[Samamba]

Gonna be an interesting weekend. Murcia on Friday and Saturday doesn't look too special, but on Saturday 40km avg wind is expected, from the right direction to cause absolute carnage, that is of course if they don't cancel it.

Also in Figueira there will be a lot of wind, sadly headwind on the bigger climb, but there's definitely chance we get to see echelon action (or well possibly it happens before the live starts). Luckily no rain expected anymore there on Saturday, Friday will still be stormy, so hopefully this race actually happens. Figueira de Foz has been hit hart by the weather the last few weeks.

Sadly no wind for the one race that really needs it, Almeria on Sunday. Boring sprint (decent field tho) expected.

 

[RedheadDane]

Also in Figueira there will be a lot of wind, sadly headwind on the bigger climb, but there's definitely chance we get to see echelon action (or well possibly it happens before the live starts). Luckily no rain expected anymore there on Saturday, Friday will still be stormy, so hopefully this race actually happens. Figueira de Foz has been hit hart by the weather the last few weeks.

It's certain the race will be held?

 

[yaco]

Gonna be an interesting weekend. Murcia on Friday and Saturday doesn't look too special, but on Saturday 40km avg wind is expected, from the right direction to cause absolute carnage, that is of course if they don't cancel it.

Also in Figueira there will be a lot of wind, sadly headwind on the bigger climb, but there's definitely chance we get to see echelon action (or well possibly it happens before the live starts). Luckily no rain expected anymore there on Saturday, Friday will still be stormy, so hopefully this race actually happens. Figueira de Foz has been hit hart by the weather the last few weeks.

Sadly no wind for the one race that really needs it, Almeria on Sunday. Boring sprint (decent field tho) expected.

Think Almeria is about the most boring race of the year. And the scenery is poor.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

10th Tour de la Provence (2.1) will start tomorrow and the menu includes three diverse stages:

Startlist: https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/tour-cycliste-international-la-provence/2026/startlist

Perhaps a fight between Bauke and Wout or likely not.

Streams from about 2pm local would be my best guess.

 

[yaco]

Hope the weather is OK, so they can do Col de Lore.

 

[saunaking]

Hold on, this can't be right...
According to both FirstCycling and PCS, Trek will be starting with only 6 riders in Provence, using the number 2-7.
I know Mads P. is the defending champion, and won't be riding, but he's hardly the first - or the last - rider to be unable to defend a title in a race, either due to injury, or simply because of the schedule.
Not using the number 1 because he isn't riding seems a bit... strange...

whoever would wear 1 would eventually face Mads on the bus or at camp and probably scared they wouldn't live up to his standards

 

[RedheadDane]

whoever would wear 1 would eventually face Mads on the bus or at camp and probably scared they wouldn't live up to his standards

Turns out, it was indeed not right; Vacek has been given number 1.