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Friday, February 27, 2026
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2025 Tour de France | 2025 Giro d'Italia
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Current racing:
- February 25 - March 1: Giro di Sardegna
Upcoming racing:
- February 28: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
- February 28: Faun Ardèche Classic
- March 1: Faun Drome Classic
- March 1: Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne
Latest completed racing:
- February 22: Tour des Alpes Maritimes
- February 16 - 22: UAE Tour
- February 18 - 22: Volta ao Algarve
- February 18 - 22: Vuelta a Andalucia - Ruta Ciclista del Sol
- February 21: Classic Var
- February 16: Clásica Jaén
- February 15: Clasica de Almeria
We posted the race organizer's report with the results.
Here's the report from stage winner Davide Donati's Team Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe:
The Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe Rookies win the second stage of the Giro di Sardegna with Davide Donati. After a cohesive team performance, the Italian came out on top in the sprint.
With a commanding team performance, the Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe Rookies claimed their first victory of the season on the second stage of the 30th Giro di Sardegna (UCI 2.1). Davide Donati won the 136.3 kilometre stage from Oristano to Carbonia in a sprint of a reduced group and celebrated his second professional victory.
Davide Donati wins Tour of Sardinia stage two. Sirotti photo
On the undulating course through the south of Sardinia, the team consistently controlled the race and did not allow any dangerous attacks. Especially in the hectic final phase, it was above all Gijs Schoonvelde who kept the peloton together at high speed and created the ideal conditions for a sprint.
Donati kept the overview in the twisty finale. With an early, powerful attack, he clearly prevailed and left Gianmarco Garofoli (Soudal Quick-Step) and Patrick Boje Frydkjær (Lidl - Trek Future Racing) behind him.
Davide Donati: "I got over the last climb well and knew that I was one of the fastest in the group. Because of a late attack, I opened my sprint early and gave it all. What's important to me is that we rode really well as a team today, so we can be really satisfied. Now we want to continue in the same vein over the next few days."
DS Gregor Gazvoda: "Our goal here in Sardinia is a stage win and a strong GC performance. We have now achieved the former. The last climb wasn't easy, but Davide showed how well he can climb. The whole team rode extremely strong and united, controlled all the attacks and prepared the sprint perfectly. We are incredibly proud of the whole team's performance today."
Tomorrow the third stage of the Giro di Sardegna from Cagliari to Tortolì over 168.1 kilometres awaits the peloton. The Rookies want to build on today's cohesive team performance and fight for another top result.
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Here's the Tour of Sardinia report from points classification leader Gianmarco Garofoli's Team Soudal Quick-step:
Gianmarco Garofoli is the new leader of the points classification at the five-day Italian race after concluding runner-up on the second stage of the race, in Carbonia, a town lying not far from the regional capital of Cagliari.
The 23-year-old, who is making just his second appearance of the season here, had a good placement and a strong turn of legs on the uphill drag to the line, which featured also some cobblestones, and concluded just behind countryman Davide Donati (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe Rookies) for our team’s second consecutive podium at the Giro di Sardegna.
The stage two podium, from left: Gianmarco Garofoli (2nd), Davide Donati (1st), & Patrick Frydkjær (3rd)
It was a result that elevated him to second on the general classification, same time as Soudal Quick-Step teammate Filippo Zana – who rounds out the top three – and just four seconds from the overall leader’s jersey.
“We made the stage hard again, trying to put pressure on the others, so I want to thank the guys for their work. We then tried to drop the GC leader in the last 30 kilometers, which we eventually managed to do, but he came back. In the uphill finish, one guy was stronger, but I’m happy with my result. We are in a good position in the general classification, and we’ll continue giving our best to fight for a stage victory”, Gianmarco said after the podium ceremony.
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Here’s the team’s post:
The climbs and cobbles have been explored, the legs have been warmed up: Lotto-Intermarché is ready to take on the Flemish spring. Team leaders Arnaud De Lie and Jenno Berckmoes already looked ahead to Omloop Het Nieuwsblad after the recon: “If we race smart and as one block, we can go far.”
For Arnaud De Lie, the season has already begun, as he raced in Almeria and the Algarve in recent weeks. For Jenno Berckmoes, the Opening Weekend will be his very first of the season. But race kilometres or not: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad is seen by everyone as a kind of blank slate. The real start. Leaders Arnaud De Lie and Jenno Berckmoes will be supported in the Omloop by Cédric Beullens, Vito Braet, Sébastien Grignard, Roel van Sintmaartensdijk and Luca Van Boven.
Arnaud De Lie before the start of the 2026 Clasica de Almeria.
“We’ve had a good recon,” says Arnaud De Lie. “It was useful to actually ride those changes in the course, even though I know the Omloop finale perfectly by heart. Maybe the new course suits me even better. In the past we went right after the Berendries, now we go left. That makes it easier for us to organise ourselves. Tactically, that changes quite a bit. We have to race smart. Everyone is looking at one rider, who often attacks on instinct. I have the ability to follow him- I showed that last summer- but you also have to be sensible and not waste everything. The goal is to win, not to finish second or third. If we’re left with two riders with 80 kilometres to go, I know it will be difficult, even if it would reassure me about my form (laughs). I want to try to be there at the decisive moments, when the race turns. If we race intelligently and as one block, we can achieve a lot with this team.”
Unlike De Lie, Jenno Berckmoes has not raced yet this season. Normally he would already have Mallorca in his legs, but after the January training camp he did not feel ready to race. “That is the case now,” he says. “That the Omloop is immediately my first race does create some healthy tension. The first race is always a benchmark. I think I’m ready. Arnaud and I have already ridden quite a few races together and they’ve always gone well. Who takes on which role will depend on how the race unfolds. But if a decisive group forms, I’d of course prefer that both of us are in it.”
During the recon the duo pushed hard several times on the cobbled climbs, as could be seen on Lotto–Intermarché’s social media. That gives confidence, but the two remain realistic: “Now it went well, on a single climb. On Saturday it will be that times twenty, in race conditions,” Berckmoes laughs. De Lie adds: “We shouldn’t count our chickens before they hatch. I still have relatively little sprint training in my legs; in the Algarve I was still a bit short.”
Performance manager Aike Visbeek sees a fresh team ready for the Opening Weekend. “A lot of work has been done in recent weeks,” he explains. “We tested the equipment extensively, we reconned several courses and we already raced in the Algarve under solid conditions. Both Jenno and Arnaud haven’t had the easiest winter, but they are at a good level now. This is a first real test and they will keep improving race by race. Today we were able to recon Saturday’s course under perfect conditions and I saw what I needed to see. We’re starting with a stable team, with Sébastien Grignard and Roel van Sintmaartensdijk responsible for keeping De Lie and Berckmoes well positioned until the first climb. Then we have the block of Vito Braet, Luca Van Boven and Cédric Beullens to control things before the finale. I think we start this Opening Weekend as outsiders, and we’re looking forward to it.”
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Here’s the team’s news:
It will be a busy and exciting weekend for Bahrain Victorious, whose riders will line up in Belgium for Opening Weekend while another squad heads to France, where the team will make its debut at the Faun-Ardèche Classic and Faun Drôme Classic — a sort of “French Opening Weekend” held in the Drôme region.
Both one-day races, part of the UCI ProSeries calendar, are regarded as key tests for puncheurs and Classics specialists. With demanding circuits and technical finales, the weekend promises aggressive and selective racing. Leadership in both events will centre around French star Lenny Martinez. He will be supported by a balanced line-up combining experience, climbing strength and young talents making their season debut, including Slovenian National Champion Jakob Omrzel and 19-year-old Kasper Borremans from the Bahrain Victorious Development Team.
Lenny Martinez after stage 14 of the 2025 Tour de France. Sirotti photo
On Saturday, 28 February, the 26th Faun-Ardèche Classic (1.Pro) covers 187.6 km around Guilherand-Granges, the start and finish location. The race features two long circuits totalling approximately 133 kilometres, followed by a 35.5 km lap and a decisive final 19 km circuit. A long and demanding climb around kilometre 142 is expected to shape the race, where positioning will be crucial.
On Sunday, 1 March, the 14th Faun Drôme Classic (1.Pro), starting and finishing in Étoile-sur-Rhône (189 km), presents a different but equally challenging profile. The race begins with 2.5 laps on more exposed terrain, including two 47 km circuits and a 28 km section before entering the final hilly lap. The first 130 kilometres, largely raced in open areas, will demand strong teamwork and constant attention to positioning and wind exposure.
With much of the peloton contesting Ardèche the day before, accumulated fatigue could play a decisive role. Bahrain Victorious will maintain the same line-up for Sunday, with only Jakob Omrzel replaced by Oliver Stockwell.
Roman Kreuziger, TBV Sports Director, on the Ardèche–Drôme weekend:
“We are approaching two very tough races with a very high level of competition. The start lists are strong, but in general I believe we have a good roster and we should aim for a top-five result in both races.
"Starting with our leader, Lenny [Martinez] — for some it might have seemed hard that he didn’t win last weekend, but for us it was actually perfect. He tested himself and raced without overthinking, which was exactly the plan. I’m happy about that because now he knows where he stands. This weekend we will race with a bit more tactical awareness, especially against the other strong contenders.
"Jakob Omrzel will make his debut with us. He will ride only on Saturday, as he is still very young and we need to be careful with how we manage his workload. His goal is to stay around Lenny, regain his feeling in the bunch, and see how far he can go.
"After Australia, Edoardo [Zambanini] and Fran [Miholjevic] were really looking forward to pinning on a number again. We’ve already seen how strong Edoardo can be, and Fran, as road captain, plays a crucial role in supporting and guiding the team. Roman [Ermakov] is a solid worker who is always ready to do the ‘dirty job,’ and he does that extremely well.
"Rainer [Kepplinger] comes from the UAE Tour, so I expect him to be attentive, especially at the beginning on Saturday. If the opportunity arises, he can be active early; otherwise, he will focus on supporting the team.
"We’re also very happy to have Kasper Borremans from our Development Team joining us. It’s important to integrate these young riders and help them gain experience with the WorldTeam. Kasper had some military obligations recently, but he trained well and spent the last three weeks in the Canary Islands preparing. We’ll see where he stands and how he can contribute to the team effort.
"For Sunday’s Drôme Classic, Jakob will rest and focus on the upcoming races, and we will bring in a fresh Oliver Stockwell. He has strong capacity, especially on the flat and rolling terrain, which will be important because the first 120 kilometres are quite open and exposed. Together with Roman, Rainer and Fran, he will help protect the team as much as possible in the first part of the race. In the final, Edoardo and Lenny will take more responsibility in the decisive moves.
"The weather forecast looks good, which is important — I’ve done these races in the snow before, so this is definitely an improvement. Our goal is top five, but more importantly, I want us to race with the right spirit. Since the beginning of the season, the guys have shown great communication and teamwork. We learn from mistakes and keep moving forward.
"Of course, the other contenders are also preparing at a very high level, so nothing will be easy. But I’m confident that if we execute our plan well, we won’t just be fighting for the top five — we can aim even higher.”
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