Lesser known races 2026 edition

[QueenStagiaire]

Tour of Turkey has some of the best camera work in sprints (by not cutting too much) which makes this race good to watch despite the mediocre routes.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Anialkowski and ballerini beaten by a 57kg Mexican on Burgos bh having a crack. Great ride Cesar macias!!

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Crabbe wins again. Great that Alpecin didn't succeed after that unnecessary headbutt.

Macías makes it an even better performance from my Spring Classics team, sadly the organisers haven't gone down the route of splicing it up into 8 one-day races.

 

[search]

looks like Aniolkowski was sprinting with parts of the advertising (or a Turkish flag?) somehow attached to him.

edit: it was a flag indeed. But he only picked it up with 20m or so to go

 

[Coppi-Bartali]

This seemed like the perfect race for Picnic to win a stage with Van Uden, but they haven't even come close in these two stages. This team is a complete disaster this year.

Biniam´s brother

11

Girmay Mewael

Istanbul Team

,,

 

[AlfaLum]

Crabbe has all the makings of a future top sprinter for me. Super impressive to have four victories already in April riding for a smaller PCT team like Flanders.

 

[yaco]

This seemed like the perfect race for Picnic to win a stage with Van Uden, but they haven't even come close in these two stages. This team is a complete disaster this year.

Biniam´s brother

11

Girmay Mewael

Istanbul Team

,,

Picnic's problem is they have been to close to the front with 3 or 4kms to go. They are better to step back and really attack the last 1km with 2 or 3 support riders.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

In Bretagne, stage 3:

About 27 kms left.
On the tube:

View: https://youtu.be/r02X4d4p7Is

 

[Tim Cahill]

Someone on the front for Red Bull, my quality is terrible, could be Paule Fietzke or Remco Evenepoel

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Great win for the rider in the 2014 trek segafredo kit

 

[Dazed and Confused]

1	Magagnotti Alessio	Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe Rookies	7	5	10″	4:18:54
2	Sparfel Aubin	Decathlon CMA CGM Development Team	3	2	6″	,,
3	Agnoletto Blake	Groupama-FDJ United CT	1	1	4″	,,
4	van den Eijnden Guus	Alpecin-Premier Tech Development Team				,,
5	Pavis Evan	Vendée U Primeo Energie				,,
6	Solen Keije	Lotto - Groupe Wanty				,,
7	Hofer Valentin	Bahrain Victorious Development Team				,,
8	Van Den Boer Seppe	Tudor Pro Cycling Team U23				,,
9	Sanlaville Mathias	CIC Pro Cycling Academy				,,
10	Hardouin Louis	Van Rysel Roubaix				,,

 

[Ilmaestro99]

1	Magagnotti Alessio	Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe Rookies	7	5	10″	4:18:54
2	Sparfel Aubin	Decathlon CMA CGM Development Team	3	2	6″	,,
3	Agnoletto Blake	Groupama-FDJ United CT	1	1	4″	,,
4	van den Eijnden Guus	Alpecin-Premier Tech Development Team				,,
5	Pavis Evan	Vendée U Primeo Energie				,,
6	Solen Keije	Lotto - Groupe Wanty				,,
7	Hofer Valentin	Bahrain Victorious Development Team				,,
8	Van Den Boer Seppe	Tudor Pro Cycling Team U23				,,
9	Sanlaville Mathias	CIC Pro Cycling Academy				,,
10	Hardouin Louis	Van Rysel Roubaix				,,

Didn't realise it was a bora devo rider, he was very fast, he and remco could make a top sprinter + leadout pairing for 2027

 

[Tim Cahill]

He's wearing the 2025 Tour de Suisse Joao Almeida kit, the one where he looked boiling and we all spent the entire race saying he looks like he's about to bottle it.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Didn't realise it was a bora devo rider, he was very fast, he and remco could make a top sprinter + leadout pairing for 2027

Will Remco move down or the other guy up?

 

[Ulle97]

Have to hand it to the Tour of Turkey. They have pulled out some serious climbs over the last few years.

Kiran is back on the route this year. 9km at 10% gradient.
They have another monster on the route 21km @8% gradient. Harder than Ventoux.

And let's not forget the beast that was Babadag in 2023. 18km @10% gradient. A genuine contender for the hardest cycling climb.

 

[yaco]

I suspect Magagnotti could become a top level sprinter in the WT. He is seriously quick!

 

[AlfaLum]

Has been some time since we saw some very good sprint talents coming through. But Crabbe and Magagnotti both have some serious pace and could become big names in the future.

Magagnotti might be even more impressive as as first year U23 racer. But Crabbe might have a lot of room for improvement left as well considering his career trajectory so far.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Has been some time since we saw some very good sprint talents coming through.

Magnier is only in his third pro year...

 

[jmdirt]

TC X2

 

[AlfaLum]

Magnier is only in his third pro year...

Yeah fair enough. I forgot about Magnier because as a junior he seemed very talented, but not necessarily as a sprinter. Then once he turned pro he was there as a sprinter.

But he should be counted as a top-sprinter coming through yes.

 

[Netserk]

brennan is a year younger than magnier

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Stage 3 in Turkey today:

Well, Crabbe ain't winning this one, but who will? Jegat perhaps.

 

[AlfaLum]

brennan is a year younger than magnier

Seems i overlooked so many riders that my post can be classified as absolute bullsh*t 😁

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Really open field today. Looking forward to the last climb. I hope to see good performances from fausto and vino. Let's see if Ivan sosa has some good legs or will remco's great rival Byron mutton take the win.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Martínez has not looked too great this year, but if he suddenly finds his legs from last season he could end Picnics drought. We also have the likes of Balderstone, Berwick, although his early season high seems to be over, Agirre, Peter, Verschuren, and last but not least, Buchmann.