Whilst the Lidl Deutschland Tour has become significantly more challenging this year, the Renewi Tour 2026 remains true to its traditional character. The Belgian WorldTour stage race will once again offer plenty of opportunities for sprinters in 2026, particularly for those fast riders who can also handle cobbles, short climbs and classic terrain. Accordingly, the start list features a strong line-up of top sprinters and so-called ‘climber-sprinters’.
This year marks the 21st edition of the Renewi Tour. Its history dates back to 2005, when it was first held as the Eneco Tour. Since then, the tour has changed its name several times, but has established itself as the most important stage race in the Benelux countries and as a fixture on the WorldTour calendar.
From 19 to 23 August, the route will take riders through Belgium over five stages. Whilst the programme does feature some challenging sections – such as the Muur van Geraardsbergen, the Bosberg and several classic-style final laps – you won’t find any truly long climbs. Instead, sprints, bonus seconds, cobbled sections and short, explosive climbs are likely to decide the overall victory. It is precisely this mix that has made the Renewi Tour a paradise for sprinters and classics riders for years.
Key points at a glance
- Date: 19 to 23 August
- Distance: 918.7 kilometres
- Start: Diest, Objective: Leuven
- Profile: one flat stage, four undulating stages
- UCI category: WorldTour
- Premiere: 2005, 21st edition
The route of the Renewi Tour 2026
The race starts in Diest, where the first stage also finishes. There are hardly any significant climbs, apart from the Grasbos, also known as the Poggio di Diest. At just 400 metres in length and with an average gradient of 4.5 per cent, it doesn’t seem particularly challenging, but at its steepest point it reaches up to 13 per cent. However, sprinters who are strong on climbs stand a good chance of getting over this ascent, which must be tackled a total of five times. The final kilometres are flat, perfect for a bunch sprint.
Flat sprint and classic terrain
On the second stage from Blankenberge to Ardooie, the sprinters will have a clear run. With just 470 metres of climbing, there is no doubt that there will be a bunch sprint at the finish.
In contrast, there is the following stage, number three. Anyone who has followed the spring classics in Belgium is likely to be familiar with some of the legendary climbs. The Trieu-Knokteberg, Paterberg, Berg Ten Houte, Parikeberg, the Kapelmuur and the Bosberg are just the best-known climbs. Classic riders are sure to love this stage!
Breakaway rider or sprinter?
With climbs that are not quite as well-known as those on the previous day, the sprinters might well sense another opportunity on the fourth stage to Bilzen-Hoeselt. Fewer metres of elevation gain and a slightly uphill finish should suit the fast finishers.
With the course constantly undulating, the pros face another day on classic terrain on the final day, leading up to the finish in Leuven. The climbs are unlikely to be enough to shake off the sprinters – at least not all of them. But breakaway riders certainly still have a chance here!
These are the favourites for the Renewi Tour
Defending champion Arnaud De Lie is returning to the Renewi Tour. Ironically, it was the Rennwoche that attracted extra attention: just two days before the start, De Lie and his team, Lotto – Intermarché, announced they would be parting ways at the end of the season. It remains to be seen how this will affect the Belgian. However, following a generally inconsistent season, he is not among the very top favourites for the overall victory anyway.
The situation is quite different for Søren Wærenskjold. The Norwegian is one of the best riders for this type of race and has already demonstrated, with his overall victory in last year’s Deutschland Tour, just how well he suits such stage races. Together with Jasper Philipsen, he heads the list of favourites. Philipsen has long since evolved from a pure sprinter into a versatile classics rider and brings exactly the right mix of sprinting ability and stamina required for the Renewi Tour.
Laurence Pithie is just behind this duo. The New Zealander from Team Red Bull – Bora – hansgrohe is in fine form in 2026 and could really show his strengths, particularly on the short, steep climbs. As a true classics rider with a good sprint, he is one of the most interesting contenders for the overall victory.
Other contenders include Olav Kooij, who now rides for Decathlon CMA CGM. Like Philipsen, the Dutchman is a sprinter who is strong on the climbs; he usually tackles the decisive ascents with ease and then has the necessary top speed to pick up bonus seconds and stage wins. This makes him a strong contender for the general classification too, although he is slightly weaker than Philipsen and Wærenskjold.
With Florian Vermeersch and Rui Oliveira, UAE Team Emirates – XRG is fielding two proven classics specialists. Both are likely to cope very well with the terrain, but are generally regarded as outsiders for the overall victory. The same applies, to a certain extent, to Jonas Abrahamsen. The Norwegian, as Uno-X Mobility’s second ace, could play an important role as the race unfolds, although he does not quite possess the same finishing speed as his team-mate Wærenskjold in the final stages.
All in all, there are many indications that it will be a head-to-head battle between Søren Wærenskjold and Jasper Philipsen. Behind them, however, with Olav Kooij, Laurence Pithie and a host of strong classics riders lying in wait, there are enough challengers to keep the 21st Renewi Tour in the balance right up until the final day. Pure sprinters such as Jonathan Milan and Dylan Groenewegen will certainly have their chances, but they are unlikely to be able to keep up on all the classics climbs.
Renewi Tour 2026: TV broadcast & live stream
The Renewi Tour will be broadcast on Eurosport 1 in 2026. Only at the weekend will the final kilometres of the stages be shown as an evening repeat. There will also be a live stream available on discovery+ for a fee.
Leon Weidner
Editor