Lesser known races 2026 edition

[Salvarani]

Tendon was the guy who was caught just before the line last week in Bessèges. Amazing how quickly he got his revenge.

The motos helped a lot, but don't they always?

They both giveth and taketh away

 

[Cycling111]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2022397427521851815

View: https://x.com/i/status/2022397427521851815

 

[Cycling111]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2022586029333475655

View: https://x.com/ammattipyoraily/status/2022586029333475655?s=20

 

[Samamba]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2022586029333475655

View: https://x.com/ammattipyoraily/status/2022586029333475655?s=20

Road is clear and the race is happening. Real ciclismo

 

[Netserk]

murcia delayed and shortened, but just some of the rolling intermediate section

still on, still good

 

[Tim Cahill]

Hopefully it starts snowing on the mountain too once it’s too late in the race to cancel the climb for a legendary aesthetic.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

View: https://youtu.be/M1ABVyCvHH4?si=pLHPx2q3-x7fZFMq

 

[Netserk]

murcia has been neutralised, but latest news is that it will start again halfway up bermejo

 

[Netserk]

some satanic rituals in force to ensure a danish demon gets his first pro victory

 

[Cycling111]

After the riders were stopped due to safety concerns (strong winds), the peloton continued under neutralization towards Alhama de Murcia. There, the riders got into the team cars and will travel to Santomera, where the finish line was originally planned.

The current plan is to hold a race on the streets of Santomera, but no final decision has been made.

In any case, the results of today’s stage will not count towards the GC.

From the race organisation:

Due to strong winds, and as it is impossible to continue, the peloton will move to Santomera to ride a 10 km neutralized urban circuit.

Times will not be recorded, but there will be a stage winner and the jerseys will be awarded.



Will this count as a victory for UCI?

 

[Netserk]

pcs:

After the riders were stopped due to safety concerns (strong winds), the peloton continued under neutralization towards Alhama de Murcia. There, the riders got into the team cars and will travel to Santomera, where the finish line was originally planned.

The current plan is to hold a race on the streets of Santomera, but no final decision has been made.

In any case, the results of today’s stage will not count towards the GC.

 

[Netserk]

so like ruta del sol. no gc, no stage race. only the stage points yesterday

 

[RedheadDane]

some satanic rituals in force to ensure a danish demon gets his first pro victory

Or is he yet another made-up Scandinavian rider?

 

[Netserk]

at least the roads are clear in france

 

[Samamba]

Hahaha of course that BS again, fine to race for a stage win but not for GC.

Wouldn't surprise me if teams agreed to "race" something so they can keep the UCI points.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Early season Asian races enjoyers once again vindicated.

If anything we need more of them. Tour of Jordan, Ruta Del Pakistan, that sort of thing.

 

[Samamba]

This might've been the a good decision
Just weird that they even tried, was already clear yesterday and the days before that today would be impossible. 40-45km/u avg and wind gust to 90 is too much.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2022647180289544577

View: https://x.com/rockets_cycling/status/2022647180289544577

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Hahaha of course that BS again, fine to race for a stage win but not for GC.

Wouldn't surprise me if teams agreed to "race" something so they can keep the UCI points.

It would be better if stage races where only one stage can go ahead due to circumstances beyond anyone's control were scored as one-day races. With the rules the way they are, the situation where both the teams and the organisers are incentivised to game the system is by default going to happen every now and again in a two-stage race.

 

[Netserk]

is that deep rims i can see in that video?

but yeah, the commissaire should have acted before the start of the stage. to start with, they should have postponed the start to when the riders would have reached murcia, and then decided what was feasible asap

 

[Red Rick]

It would be better if stage races where only one stage can go ahead due to circumstances beyond anyone's control were scored as one-day races. With the rules the way they are, the situation where both the teams and the organisers are incentivised to game the system is by default going to happen every now and again in a two-stage race.

One day races are scored way too high

 

[Netserk]

murcia is on now. the parade, that is

 

[tobydawq]

One day races are scored way too high

Only low-level one day races.

 

[Netserk]

peloton breaking in pieces with this furious pace

 

[Dazed and Confused]

50kms o go in France. Good action. Conditions are perfect for late winter bikeracing.

 

[Red Rick]

Only low-level one day races.

I actually think a monument being over 60% of a TdF GC is already too high. But then the lower stage races are also too high in relation to the bigger ones, and placements are given too many points compared to a W. Also a TdF stage being nearly 1/6th of a GC victory is crazy considering it's like 1/10th in smaller stage races.

It's all just way too flat, because the poitns system is just there to buy relevance and participation. Del Toro is almost ranked ahead of Vingegaard, that stuff makes 0 sense whatseover.