Following its debut in 2025, the Copenhagen Sprint is set to take place for the second time this year. For the men’s sprint elite, that means heading to Denmark. Jordi Meeus, the defending champion, will be at the start. However, he is not the clear favourite to win. The cream of the crop of sprinters will be there, but the wind on the open roads should not be underestimated. These are the main favourites to win in Copenhagen.
The TOUR favourites, ranked by stars*
***** Jonathan Milan
**** Jasper Philipsen, Tim Merlier
*** Jordi Meeus, Dylan Groenewegen
** Arnaud de Lie, Tobias Lund Andresen, Juan Sebastián Molano
* Matteo Malucelli, Emilien Jeannière, Søren Wærenskjold, Milan Fretin, Ben Turner
* The more stars a driver receives, the higher their chances are considered to be
Please note: At the time of publication, the final start list has not yet been finalised. It is possible that some of the riders mentioned here may not take part.
The favourites at the Copenhagen Sprint
In the men’s Copenhagen Sprint, everything points to a classic showdown between the big names in sprinting, with Jonathan Milan arguably the fastest man in the field. On such a flat course, there is little doubt about his role: if the Italian is put in position for the final sprint, he is extremely hard to beat. He most recently demonstrated his strong form at the Giro d’Italia in Rome. However, he had previously been beaten on several occasions by Paul Magnier; the young Frenchman is absent from the race in Denmark, though, which shifts the balance of power somewhat.
Tim Merlier is now stepping into the spotlight. The Belgian made an impressive comeback after a lengthy break due to knee problems and immediately demonstrated his class again at the Scheldeprijs, the Ronde van Limburg and the Tour of Hungary. Nevertheless, there remains a slight question mark over just how competitive Merlier is in a head-to-head battle with the absolute top stars. The Copenhagen Sprint offers him the ideal stage to prove exactly that.
Jasper Philipsen is also among the top favourites. After suffering an injury-related setback at last year’s Tour de France, he fought his way back strongly and went on to win three stages at the Vuelta. In 2026, too, the Belgian was in impressive form, particularly in one-day races. Victories at Danilith Nokere Koerse and Middelkerke-Wevelgem speak for themselves. In a direct comparison, he is slightly behind Milan but is at least on a par with Merlier.
The defending champion of the Copenhagen Sprint
Only then comes Jordi Meeus, the defending champion. His victory last year was partly down to a crash in the final, but that does not detract from his quality. Meeus brings a clever riding style and strong finishing speed to the race. What’s more, he’s arriving at the start well-rested this time. In 2025, he withdrew early from the Tour de Suisse after his stage win and went on to win in Copenhagen just two days later. So the conditions are favourable for a title defence, but he faces a tough challenge against Milan, Philipsen and Merlier.
Dylan Groenewegen is another top-class rider on the start list. The Dutchman remains one of the most consistent sprinters, even though he is the only top rider without a WorldTour team. Nevertheless, he showed at the Giro that he is competitive, and he has already secured several victories in one-day races this season.
The frontrunners and outsiders
Next in line are Arnaud de Lie, Juan Sebastián Molano and Tobias Lund Andresen. They are not purely flat-course sprinters, but also have the strength to tackle more challenging terrain – an advantage that carries less weight here. Nevertheless, they could benefit from crosswinds should the race take a chaotic turn. It is precisely when the peloton breaks apart that these versatile riders are dangerous.
The outsiders include Matteo Malucelli, Emilien Jeannière, Søren Wærenskjold, Milan Fretin and Ben Turner. They all possess good sprinting ability, but do not quite reach the level of the absolute world elite. In a chaotic race, for instance with crosswinds or battles for position in the final, they could, however, play into the mix and spring a surprise.
In the men’s race, too, a scenario other than a bunch sprint remains a possibility, albeit an unlikely one: crosswinds could split the peloton into several groups. Should a strong group form at the front, a sprint from a small group would be possible. However, the sprinters’ teams have a strong interest in a controlled race, so there is much to suggest a classic bunch sprint here too.
Leon Weidner
Working student
