Lesser known races 2026 edition

[RedheadDane]

Great day for Europeans riding for random Asian conti teams:

1	Barbier Pierre	Terengganu Cycling Team	14	20	10″	2:20:32
2	Salby Alexander	Li Ning Star	5	12	6″	,,
3	Nisu Oskar	China Anta - Mentech Cycling Team	3	7	4″	,,
4	Rasch Jesper	China Anta - Mentech Cycling Team		5		,,
5	Grosu Eduard-Michael	FNIX - SCOM - Hengxiang Cycling Team		4		,,

 

[Samamba]

30km/u winds, cold, lot's of rain, and a team like Quick Step ready for echelons given the lack of sprinter and amount of strong rouleurs. There's some open parts on the circuit (and also early) on, but we'll have to see if the wind is coming from the right direction on those crucial parts. Definitely possible this turns into a spectacle.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Driedaagse Brugge-De Panne reduced to almost nothing: Ronde Van Brugge - Tour.. (1.UWT)

Race starts tomorrow where quite a few 2nd tier riders will get a chance if they can somehow beat Philipsen and Dylan.

Startlist: https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/classic-brugge-de-panne/2026/startlist

The prospect of adverse weather will likely be welcomed by some of us.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

30km/u winds, cold, lot's of rain, and a team like Quick Step ready for echelons given the lack of sprinter and amount of strong rouleurs. There's some open parts on the circuit (and also early) on, but we'll have to see if the wind is coming from the right direction on those crucial parts. Definitely possible this turns into a spectacle.

What race though?

 

[Tim Cahill]

What the *** is 'Tour of Bruges'

 

[Dazed and Confused]

In Italy, a little stage race gem: 41st Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali (2.1) is also on Tomorrow. Stage 1:

My preference is Barbaresco, but I understand the desire for Barolo.
Startlist, which is available this time long before midnight: https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/settimana-internazionale-coppi-e-bartali/2026/startlist

Last year Double took a stage win:

but hes not part of Jayco's lineup this time.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Really weird for Coppi e Bartali, a race that has been centered in Emilia-Romagna for ages, to be held in four different North Italian regions of which none is Emilia-Romagna.

 

[RedheadDane]

What the *** is 'Tour of Bruges'

The race formerly known as Three Days of De Panne.

 

[Sciatic]

The race formerly known as Three Days of De Panne.

They should call it “The Last Vestige of De Panne”

 

[RedheadDane]

They should call it “The Last Vestige of De Panne”

I think they should have stuck with "Three Days of De Panne."

If "Four Days of Dunkirk" can be Five days (+1), then surely "Three Days of De Panne" can be one day.

(But also, kinda two, because... didn't they add the women's race when the men's race was shortened to one day, and were also planning on adding one of those big group-ride things, so they could kind of say it was still three days? But then the group-ride never happened...)