{"id":1758670,"date":"2026-02-05T06:22:35","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T03:22:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1758670"},"modified":"2026-02-05T06:22:35","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T03:22:35","slug":"4-bike-races-this-month-that-pack-oversized-impact-on-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1758670","title":{"rendered":"4 Bike Races This Month That Pack Oversized Impact on 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
Updated February 6, 2026 02:51AM<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Cyclocross worlds are done. The Australian summer is already fading into memory. Training camps are wrapping up, and the super-fans loitering in caf\u00e9s are finding the roads are pretty quiet.<\/p>\n
February is when cycling\u2019s real road season begins.<\/p>\n
From southern Spain to the Middle East and back to Belgium, the racing itch and competitive juices are shifting into overdrive in the elite men\u2019s calendar with season debuts, big-signing rollouts, and new-kit makeovers.<\/p>\n
Nobody\u2019s at full boil yet. The season-defining objectives are still circled in red for April, July, and beyond.<\/p>\n
But for me, this first wave of races is among the most interesting of the entire season.<\/p>\n
Some pundits argue that the racing season is too long or lacks a through-line narrative. Not me. I think cycling\u2019s sprawling, organic, and sometimes chaotic racing calendar is just fine.<\/p>\n
I dig a good cyclocross race and the off-season trade gossip, but by February, I am jonesing for my racing fix.<\/p>\n
And luckily, the month is packed full of quality events that will pour jet fuel on the season\u2019s narrative lines in elite men\u2019s racing.<\/p>\n
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And for 2026, we have plenty: Can Tadej Poga\u010dar stay on top? Was the multi-million-euro bet on Remco Evenepoel worth it? How many more monuments can Mathieu van der Poel win? Will hard-luck Wout van Aert finally win a big one?<\/p>\n
It all starts now.<\/p>\n
Here are the days I have circled on the calendar for February. Not because they decide the season, but because of what they will reveal. Let\u2019s dive in:<\/p>\n
UAE Tour (February 16-22)<\/h2>\nThe contrasts are extreme during the UAE Tour. <\/span> (Photo: Tim de Waele\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
I\u2019ve covered early iterations of this race a few times, and at first, I was not a fan. Long, hot, flat, boring, or so it seemed in its earliest editions. Don\u2019t get me wrong. Everything in the UAE is waaaay<\/em> over the top, and I did manage to find one of the best hotel bars in all the uber-rich kingdom.<\/p>\n
To its credit, the UAE Tour has grown up nicely over the years, and now includes one of the best early-season fields, with a mix of top sprinting stars and GC names blowing out the cobwebs.<\/p>\n
Add some wicked echelons, and this race really tells you who\u2019s flying early.<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s like a sprinter\u2019s world championships, and the GC field in 2026 is one of the best of the spring, with Evenepoel and Vingegaard eyeing each other up in what could be their only matchup before the Volta a Catalunya and the Tour de France.<\/p>\n
Add Isaac del Toro, and the UAE Tour will deliver the best GC throwdown so far in 2026.<\/p>\n
History<\/strong>: Launched in 2019, the new race stitched together the Dubai and Abu Dhabi tours to create the Middle East\u2019s first WorldTour event.<\/p>\n
Why it matters in 2026<\/strong>: With three of the top 5-ranked riders in the UCI world ranking, the GC field is arguably the best of any early-season stage race. With two mountaintop finales and an individual time trial, fewer big-name sprinters are coming. Jonathan Milan should take a few wins. Without three-time winner Poga\u010dar, UAE Emirates-XRG will be under pressure to win in front of the team\u2019s well-funded backers.<\/p>\n
Our pick<\/strong>: Evenepoel. There\u2019s always big pressure on the top stars to perform, and even though Del Toro will be racing for sponsor honor on home roads, the 12.2km time trial in stage 2 should give Evenepoel a handful of seconds against the Mexican and Vingegaard. With the way he\u2019s flying out of the gate in 2026, Evenepoel should have the legs to take the win.<\/p>\n
Last winners:<\/strong><\/p>\n
2025 \u2013 Tadej Poga\u010dar<\/p>\n
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2024 \u2013 Lennert Van Eetvelt<\/p>\n
2023 \u2013 Remco Evenepoel<\/p>\n
2022 \u2013 Tadej Poga\u010dar<\/p>\n
2021 \u2013 Tadej Poga\u010dar<\/p>\n
2020 \u2013 Adam Yates<\/p>\n
2019 \u2013 Primo\u017e Rogli\u010d<\/p>\n
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Ja\u00e9n Para\u00edso Interior (February 16)<\/h2>\nSpain\u2019s answer to Strade Bianche is an instant classic.<\/span> (Photo: Tim de Waele\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
One of my favorite new races on the calendar, Ja\u00e9n Para\u00edso Interior is Spain\u2019s answer to the white roads of Italy.<\/p>\n
Swap out the green hills of Tuscany for the backdrop of one of the world\u2019s largest olive-growing regions, and you\u2019ve got one hell of a race.<\/p>\n
Some big names have already won here since its debut in 2022, and it\u2019s quickly emerging as one of the most important early-season gut-checks on the calendar.<\/p>\n
Heavy winter rains could impact the route this month, especially on some of the clay-like soils that turn to muck in the wet.<\/p>\n
With a gigantic bronze olive as one of cycling\u2019s wackiest trophies, what\u2019s not to love?<\/p>\n
History<\/strong>: Created as Spain\u2019s counter to Strade Bianche in 2022, the race is contested on gravel sectors across the UNESCO-recognized \u201cmar de olivos\u201d olive groves.<\/p>\n
Why it matters in 2026:<\/strong> The race will be missing a big name like Poga\u010dar or Van Aert, but the race is drawing a solid field to consolidate its spot as a February must-see.<\/p>\n
Our pick:<\/strong> When there\u2019s dirt, it\u2019s hard to bet against Tom Pidcock. He\u2019ll be making his season debut in year two of Project Pidcock, coming off an altitude training camp in Chile. Pidders for the win.<\/p>\n
Last winners:<\/strong><\/p>\n
2025 \u2013 Micha\u0142 Kwiatkowski<\/p>\n
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2024 \u2013 Oier Lazkano<\/p>\n
2023 \u2013 Tadej Poga\u010dar<\/p>\n
2022 \u2013 Alexey Lutsenko<\/p>\n
Volta ao Algarve (February 18-22)<\/h2>\nAn early-season time trial helps draw the stars to Portugal\u2019s Algarve region. <\/span> (Photo: Tim de Waele\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
I always tell friends, if you want to get close to the pros, don\u2019t go to the Tour de France. OK, no one is going to pass up on the chance of going to the Super Bowl of cycling.<\/p>\n
But if you really want to press the flesh with the pros, head to races like the five-stage Volta ao Algarve.<\/p>\n
There is only a smattering of fans hanging around each stage, and it\u2019s easy to get those selfies and autographs.<\/p>\n
The green hills of the Algarve serve up some of the best riding terrain in all of southern Europe.<\/p>\n
And the five stages always deliver solid racing with a few big names adding it in their program.<\/p>\n
History:<\/strong> Dating back to 1960, the race was a largely Portuguese affair until race organizers started to draw top teams about 25 years ago.<\/p>\n
Why it matters in 2026: <\/strong>Just call this the big rollout party after one of cycling\u2019s most tumultuous transfer seasons in years. Derek Gee and Juan Ayuso debut at Lidl-Trek, Matthew Riccitello shows off his new colors at Decathlon CMA CGM, and K\u00e9vin Vauquelin at Ineos Grenadiers.<\/p>\n
Our pick: <\/strong>None of the \u201cBig 4\u201d are here, but this should be a pretty good race between Almeida, Ayuso, Richard Carapaz, Florian Lipowitz, and Riccitello. With his TT chops, it\u2019s hard to bet against Almeida for the win just ahead of Lipowitz.<\/p>\n
Last 10 winners:<\/strong><\/p>\n
2025 \u2013 Jonas Vingegaard<\/p>\n
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2024 \u2013 Remco Evenepoel<\/p>\n
2023 \u2013 Dani Mart\u00ednez<\/p>\n
2022 \u2013 Remco Evenepoel<\/p>\n
2021 \u2013 Jo\u00e3o Rodrigues<\/p>\n
2020 \u2013 Remco Evenepoel<\/p>\n
2019 \u2013 Tadej Poga\u010dar<\/p>\n
2018 \u2013 Micha\u0142 Kwiatkowski<\/p>\n
2017 \u2013 Primo\u017e Rogli\u010d<\/p>\n
2016 \u2013 Geraint Thomas<\/p>\n
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Omloop Nieuwsblad (February 28)<\/h2>\nJorgenson lights up the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in 2025, for some, the season\u2019s first \u2018real\u2019 race. <\/span> (Photo: Gruber Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
For die-hard cycling fans, this is when the real<\/em> racing season truly begins.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s always Het Volk to me, and despite the name change to the region\u2019s leading newspaper Omloop Nieuwsblad (they\u2019ve even taken out \u201cHet\u201d in the official name for 2026), the one-day classic of mud and muck is old-school, smash-mouth classics racing.<\/p>\n
It typically delivers hard-man racing conditions, with cold, rain, wind, and nasty cobbles to keep things brutally Belgian.<\/p>\n
With the big classics just weeks away, Omloop really gets things going. Some course tweaks for 2026 will spice things up even more.<\/p>\n
Somewhat surprisingly, a big win at Omloop doesn\u2019t necessarily provide a hint of who will shine during Flanders Week. Of course, it\u2019s not even close to monument distance, and the big guns are just starting to rev up their engines.<\/p>\n
But this one is definitely circled on my calendar as must-see TV.<\/p>\n
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History<\/strong>: Founded in 1945 as Omloop van Vlaanderen, the race was launched by Flemish daily Het Volk as a direct counter to the Tour of Flanders. After Het Volk merged with Het Nieuwsblad in 2009, the race was rebranded as Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and has been run by Flanders Classics since 2010.<\/p>\n
Why it matters in 2026: <\/strong> Fingers crossed, but it looks like Wout Van Aert will be able to race. Despite his ankle injury that kept him out of the cyclocross worlds, progress is encouraging. Even if he\u2019s not at top race speed yet, putting in some race-speed kilometers will bode well for the spring classics.<\/p>\n
Our pick: <\/strong> This will be a big hit-out for new kids like Arnaud De Lie, Paul Magnier, and Matthew Brennan. There\u2019s a sliver of hope that Mathieu van der Poel will be at the start line. If he\u2019s there, all other bets are off.<\/p>\n
Last 10 winners:<\/strong><\/p>\n
2025 \u2013 S\u00f8ren W\u00e6renskjold<\/p>\n
2024 \u2013 Jan Tratnik<\/p>\n
2023 \u2013 Dylan van Baarle<\/p>\n
2022 \u2013 Wout van Aert<\/p>\n
2021 \u2013 Davide Ballerini<\/p>\n
2020 \u2013 Jasper Stuyven<\/p>\n
2019 \u2013 Zden\u011bk \u0160tybar<\/p>\n
2018 \u2013 Michael Valgren<\/p>\n
2017 \u2013 Greg Van Avermaet<\/p>\n
2016 \u2013 Greg Van Avermaet<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Updated February 6, 2026 02:51AM<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4forFeb2.jpg”] Updated February 6, 2026 02:51AM Cyclocross worlds are done. The Australian summer is already fading into memory. Training camps are wrapping up, and the super-fans loitering in caf\u00e9s are finding the roads are pretty quiet. February is when cycling\u2019s real road season begins. From southern Spain to the Middle East and back […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,71],"class_list":["post-1758670","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-velo-outsideonline-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1758670","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1758670"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1758670\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1758670"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1758670"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1758670"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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![\"Spain's](\"https:\/\/velo-cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-2200195656-720x480.jpg?width=1920&auto=webp&quality=75&fit=cover\")
![\"Volta](\"https:\/\/velo-cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-1208160040-720x480.jpg?width=1920&auto=webp&quality=75&fit=cover\")
![\"Jorgenson](\"https:\/\/velo-cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Z8A_0193-2-2-720x463.jpg?width=1920&auto=webp&quality=75&fit=cover\")