Tadej Pogacar is set to combine his participation in Liège–Bastogne–Liège with the Tour de Romandie during the 2026 cycling season, according to recent reports from Belgian and Dutch cycling media. The Slovenian world champion and multiple Tour de France winner aims to use the Ardennes classic as a key part of his spring campaign before heading to Switzerland for the week-long stage race. This dual focus reflects a strategic approach to peak form ahead of the summer Grand Tours.
Arnaud De Lie, the rising Belgian sprinter, is preparing for his Giro d’Italia debut in 2026. The 22-year-old Lotto Dstny rider has shown strong form in early-season classics and is expected to target stage wins in Italy’s Grand Tour. His development has been closely monitored by team officials, who see the Giro as a logical next step in his progression toward becoming a consistent contender in hilly sprint finishes.
Wout van Aert is scheduled to return to competition at the Critérium du Dauphiné in June 2026. The Belgian star, who recently ended a decade-long drought by winning Paris-Roubaix, will use the French stage race as preparation for the Tour de France. Van Aert’s participation in Dauphiné marks a key milestone in his comeback following a disrupted spring campaign marked by mechanical issues and bad luck in the Flemish classics.
These developments come amid a highly competitive spring classics season, where Pogacar has already demonstrated strong form by winning Milan–San Remo and the Tour of Flanders. His victories in two of cycling’s five Monument races have positioned him as a favorite for Liège–Bastogne–Liège, which he has won twice before (in 2021 and 2023). A third win would place him among the race’s most successful modern riders.
The Tour de Romandie, traditionally held in late April and early May, serves as a critical lead-in to the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France. For Pogacar, combining the Ardennes classic with the Swiss stage race allows him to maintain racing intensity while adapting to different terrains—a tactic that has worked well in previous seasons when he targeted similar double campaigns.
De Lie’s Giro ambitions come after a mixed start to his 2026 season, which included a second-place finish in a Tirreno-Adriatico sprint and a fourth-place result at In Flanders Fields. While those results fall short of his usual standards, the young Belgian has opted against a mid-season break, instead choosing to pursue a Giro-Tour double later in the year. Team officials believe this accelerated progression could fast-track his development as a Grand Tour stage hunter.
Van Aert’s return to action at the Critérium du Dauphiné will be closely watched as he looks to rebuild momentum after his historic Paris-Roubaix victory. The Dauphiné, often used as a final tune-up before the Tour de France, presents an ideal platform for the Visma–Lease a Bike rider to test his form on climbs and time trials—disciplines where he has historically excelled.
As the spring season unfolds, the interactions between these three riders—Pogacar’s Ardennes-Swiss double, De Lie’s Giro aspirations, and van Aert’s Dauphiné return—will shape early narratives heading into the summer Grand Tours. Each athlete’s choices reflect distinct but complementary paths toward peak performance in July and beyond.
The cycling world will now turn its attention to Liège-Bastogne-Liège in late April, where Pogacar will aim to cement his status as one of the race’s all-time greats. Simultaneously, De Lie will continue refining his condition ahead of his Giro bow, while van Aert builds toward his Dauphiné return in June. Together, their campaigns illustrate the layered strategies modern riders use to navigate an increasingly demanding calendar.
Archysport will continue to monitor these developments as the 2026 season progresses, providing verified updates on race outcomes, training insights, and strategic shifts from the sport’s leading figures.
Stay tuned for the next official checkpoint: the start of Liège-Bastogne-Liège on April 26, 2026, where Tadej Pogacar will seek his third victory in the Ardennes classic.
