The provisional start list for Cyclassics Hamburg is headed by a number of fast riders. Jasper Philipsen, Jonathan Milan, Olav Kooij, Paul Magnier, Biniam Girmay, Arnaud De Lie and Jordi Meeus are considered the most promising contenders. Profiles of the favourites:
Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek): The most complete top sprinter
Jonathan Milan can be considered the favourite with the best overall chances. The Italian not only possesses tremendous top speed, but is also capable of sprinting powerfully for a very long time, even after a gruelling race. It is precisely this combination that is required at the Cyclassics Hamburg. In Max Walscheid, he also has an extremely strong support rider by his side who can escort him right through to the final.
Milan’s season record underlines his standing: the 25-year-old has already won stages in 2026 at the AlUla Tour, the UAE Tour, Tirreno-Adriatico and the Giro d’Italia, as well as, most recently, three stages at the Tour of Poland. He also claimed the Italian Road Championship. At the Cyclassics, much will depend on whether Lidl-Trek can keep Milan in a good position after the Waseberg. If they manage that, he will be very hard to beat in a straight sprint.
Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech): The man for the perfect bunch sprint
Jasper Philipsen tops the provisional list of favourites and is arguably the most experienced rider in this sort of sprint finish. Among other achievements this season, the Belgian has already won a stage of the Tour de France, the Copenhagen Sprint, and the general classification and sprint classification at the Baloise Belgium Tour. In total, his season tally stands at five victories and 19 top-ten finishes.
Philipsen is at his strongest when his team controls the race and gets him into the final 200 metres with a long lead-out. However, the repeated climbs on the Waseberg could prevent Alpecin-Premier Tech from forming a lead-out train for Philipsen on Mönckebergstraße with several riders. A head-to-head sprint might actually play more into the hands of his direct rivals.
Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM): a specialist in challenging sprints
Olav Kooij’s skills are also a very good fit for the Cyclassics profile. The Dutchman is a classic sprinter, but has enough stamina to remain competitive even after a long and undulating race. Kooij has already won several races in 2026, including two stages and the points classification at the Boucles de la Mayenne, stages at the Baloise Belgium Tour and the fifth stage of the Tour de France. Furthermore, Kooij knows the terrain around the Alster and the Elbe well, having already won the Cyclassics Hamburg in 2024 – ahead of Jonathan Milan and Biniam Girmay.
The 24-year-old’s chances improve if the teams ride hard on the Waseberg, causing some pure sprinters to be dropped. In a sprint from a smaller leading group, Kooij might even have a slight advantage.
Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step): The young challenger
Paul Magnier is one of the most interesting riders on the provisional start list for the Cyclassics Hamburg. The Frenchman, who is just 22 years old, has already secured six victories in 2026, including three stage wins at the Giro d’Italia. Added to this is his success at the Muur Classic Geraardsbergen. However, Magnier is not a classic pure sprinter. He has good acceleration, can ride short climbs quickly and is therefore also a potential winner in a sprint from a smaller group. Despite his three victories at the Giro, questions remain about his ability to cope with pressure and his experience in a hectic World Tour finale. For Paul Magnier to win, the race would probably need to be selective rather than completely controlled.
Biniam Girmay (NSN CyclingTeam): The strongest contender in a gruelling race
Biniam Girmay is a particular contender for victory if the race turns out to be tougher than the sprint teams had anticipated. The Eritrean won the Clásica de Almería in 2026, as well as stages at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana and the Baloise Belgium Tour. After a few rather difficult years, Girmay’s form is on the up again following his move to NSN. At the Tour de France a few weeks ago, the only sub-Saharan African stage winner to date and winner of the Green Jersey in 2024 achieved several strong results, including second place on the eighth stage and third place on the seventh stage.
Girmay often initiates the sprint himself from a good position and is less reliant on his team controlling the race right up to the finish line. This makes him a particularly valuable rider in Hamburg in a scenario involving a smaller leading group.
Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe): The underrated specialist
Jordi Meeus, aged 28, is a must-have in the line-up of favourites for the Cyclassics Hamburg. In 2026, the Belgian won, amongst other races, the Brussels Cycling Classic, a stage of the Tour de Wallonie, a stage of the Four Days of Dunkirk and the Ename Samyn Classic.
Meeus isn’t in the spotlight quite as much as Jasper Philipsen or Jonathan Milan, but he is an extremely reliable rider for challenging sprint finishes. His victory in the Brussels Cycling Classic, covering more than 200 kilometres, shows that he is well suited to a long, fast day’s racing. For Meeus to secure a sprint victory, Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe would probably need to make the race a little tougher. In a large bunch sprint, other riders are ahead of him, but in a gruelling finale, Meeus can finish right at the front.
Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Intermarché): Top class, but a question mark
Given his abilities, Arnaud De Lie is clearly among the favourites. The Belgian is quick on short climbs and has enough power for a selective finale. However, his 2026 season has so far been much more up and down than in previous years. The 24-year-old won two races and two classifications, and finished third overall in the Tour de Wallonie. After that, things did not go to plan for De Lie; he was forced to withdraw from the Tour de France after the third stage.
His class still makes him a threat, though. If Lotto-Intermarché gets him over the Waseberg without losing any time, De Lie could win the sprint. Based on how the season has gone so far, however, he is more of a contender for the wider circle of favourites than for the front row.
Germany's hopes
Germany’s hopes rest primarily on Phil Bauhaus, who features on Bahrain Victorious’ provisional start list. Max Walscheid (Lidl-Trek) and John Degenkolb (Picnic-Post NL) are also scheduled to take part in the race, but are likely to fulfil the roles of domestique and road captain respectively.
Phil Bauhaus would be Germany’s most promising contender in a classic bunch sprint; however, during the Tour de France a few weeks ago, he himself was very dissatisfied with his form and performance. Only the race will reveal whether he has been able to use the time since the Tour’s finale to get back into better form.
The favourites' rankings for the Cyclassics
| Rank | Driver | Rating |
| 1 | Jonathan Milan | The perfect combination of sprinting, endurance and peak fitness |
| 2 | Jasper Philipsen | The hot favourite in a controlled bunch sprint |
| 3 | Olav Kooij | Really tough when the Waseberg makes the final stretch difficult |
| 4 | Paul Magnier | A dangerous young driver for a reduced final |
| 5 | Biniam Girmay | Particularly interesting in a tough and selective race |
| 6 | Jordi Meeus | A strong underdog with an impressive season record |
| 7 | Arnaud De Lie | Top class, but there are question marks over their current form |
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Thomas Musch
Publisher