Renewi Tour 2026 Preview: Who Will Win?
The Renewi Tour has a reputation for producing close racing on the roads of Belgium and the Netherlands. In 2026, however, the race is entirely within Belgium, with stages visiting Diest, Blankenberge, Ardooie, Celles, Geraardsbergen, Riemst, Bilzen-Hoeselt and Leuven.
The combination of exposed roads, repeated climbs and technical circuits should create plenty of opportunities for teams to attack the overall classification.
Several leading sprinters have chosen the Renewi Tour rather than the mountainous Vuelta a España, while riders such as Arnaud De Lie and Biniam Girmay add further depth to the fast-finishing contingent.
That makes the 2026 edition one of the most intriguing Renewi Tours in recent years. Read on to find out when the Renewi Tour is taking place, the route and the riders taking part.
When Is The Renewi Tour 2026?
The Renewi Tour 2026 takes place from Wednesday 19 August to Sunday 23 August, with five stages across five days. The official team presentation is being held in Diest on Tuesday 18 August, ahead of the Grand Départ there the following day.
The schedule is:
19 August: Stage 1, Diest–Diest
20 August: Stage 2, Blankenberge–Ardooie
21 August: Stage 3, Celles–Geraardsbergen
22 August: Stage 4, Riemst–Bilzen-Hoeselt
23 August: Stage 5, Leuven–Leuven
The timing places the race directly alongside the opening days of the Vuelta a España, which begins on 22 August. That overlap has influenced team selection, with a number of prominent sprinters opting for the Renewi Tour because the Vuelta route offers comparatively few opportunities for pure sprinters.
Where Does The Renewi Tour Take Place?
Unlike some previous editions, the 2026 Renewi Tour does not cross between Belgium and the Netherlands. All five stages are held in Belgium, taking the peloton from Diest and the Belgian coast through the Flemish Ardennes and Limburg before the final in Leuven.
The opening stage around Diest is designed to be more selective than a conventional flat sprint stage, with the Hageland terrain providing repeated challenges. Stage 2 from Blankenberge to Ardooie is the clearest opportunity for the sprinters, while Stage 3 from Celles to Geraardsbergen is the major classics-style test.
That third stage is particularly important. Riders tackle 14 climbs and make three ascents of the Muur van Geraardsbergen, with the Bosberg also featuring on the route. It is the kind of terrain where a strong classics rider can put pressure on the pure sprinters and establish a significant advantage.
Stage 4 from Riemst to Bilzen-Hoeselt brings another demanding Limburg route with 14 climbs and an uphill run to the finish. The race then concludes with several circuits around Leuven, where repeated climbs and a short uphill finish can still alter the overall classification.
How Long Is The Renewi Tour?
The 2026 Renewi Tour covers 921.1 kilometres over five stages. Individual stages range from 173.9 kilometres to 191.3 kilometres.
The stage distances are:
Stage 1, Diest–Diest: 191.3 km
Stage 2, Blankenberge–Ardooie: 173.9 km
Stage 3, Celles–Geraardsbergen: 184.6 km
Stage 4, Riemst–Bilzen-Hoeselt: 187.3 km
Stage 5, Leuven–Leuven: 184.0 km
There is no individual time trial or prologue in the 2026 race. Instead, the overall classification is likely to be decided through time gaps created on the selective stages, particularly around Geraardsbergen, Limburg and Leuven.
That route gives the race an interesting balance. Stage 2 should provide the pure sprinters with their clearest opportunity, but the other stages contain enough climbing and technical racing to favour riders who can survive difficult finales and still produce a fast finish.
Who Is Riding In The Renewi Tour?
The 2026 field contains a particularly impressive collection of sprinters and classics specialists. Confirmed participants include Tim Merlier, Olav Kooij, Jasper Philipsen, Søren Wærenskjold, Arnaud De Lie, Biniam Girmay, Jonathan Milan and Dylan Groenewegen, giving the race considerable depth in the fast-finishing department.
Merlier is one of the headline names after another strong season, while Kooij brings proven winning ability to a race where the second stage should suit him particularly well. De Lie is also a major name to watch after winning both the final stage and overall classification in 2025.
The start list also includes riders capable of challenging on the more selective terrain. Teams such as UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Lidl-Trek, Alpecin-Premier Tech, Soudal Quick-Step and Team Visma | Lease a Bike give the race plenty of options for attacking the overall classification rather than simply controlling sprint stages.
Who Is Favourite To Win The Renewi Tour?
The 2026 Renewi Tour is difficult to reduce to a single type of favourite because the strongest sprinters and the strongest all-rounders have different opportunities across the route.
Arnaud De Lie deserves particular attention. The Lotto-Intermarché rider won the 2025 Renewi Tour after taking the final stage in Leuven ahead of Mathieu van der Poel, so he arrives as defending champion and has already demonstrated that he can combine speed with the ability to survive demanding terrain.
Tim Merlier is another obvious contender. His pure sprinting ability makes him a leading candidate for the fast stages, although the question for his overall chances is how well he can limit losses on the more difficult days.
Olav Kooij is similarly dangerous on the flatter stages. He won the Blankenberge–Ardooie stage in 2025 and is among the high-profile sprinters targeting the Renewi Tour instead of the Vuelta in 2026.
Jasper Philipsen, Biniam Girmay, Jonathan Milan and Dylan Groenewegen add further sprint strength, while riders such as Mathieu van der Poel and other classics specialists would be better suited to the selective stages and the climbs around Geraardsbergen and Leuven.
The crucial distinction is between stage-win favourites and overall favourites. A rider can be the strongest sprinter in the race without being the best candidate for the general classification.
With no time trial to create a predictable advantage, the overall winner is likely to be the rider who combines speed with consistency across the three more selective stages.
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