This year’s start list for the U23 Peace Race is packed with names worth following. Heading to the Jeseníky Mountains are the sons of former stars, promising climbers, sprint talents and riders from prestigious academies and development teams. So who should you keep an eye on at this year’s Peace Race?
The 2026 edition once again confirms that the Peace Race is a remarkable showcase for the next generation of world cycling. The start list features both traditional national teams and development squads linked to the professional peloton, bringing together a wide range of riders already attracting serious attention. Some arrive as contenders for the general classification, others as specialists for sprint finishes, classics-style stages or long climbs. And there are also several names that stand out simply because of their family background.
Austria
- Manolo Wrolich (No. 6): Son of former Austrian pro Peter Wrolich, a longtime rider for Gerolsteiner and Milram and a Tour de France participant. Manolo has inherited both sprinting speed and classics instincts.
- Benjamin Eckerstorfer (No. 1): One of Austria’s brightest young talents, consistently scoring points in demanding European races.
Belgium
- Milan Donie (No. 12): An outstanding pure climber and a member of the Lotto Dstny development team. On Dlouhé Stráně, he will be one of the leading favourites for the yellow jersey.
- Matijs Van Strijthem (No. 9): A textbook Belgian rider — strong legs, excellent in the wind and on the cobbles. A strong candidate for success in the flatter stages.
Czech Republic
- Pavel Šumpík (No. 13): A super talent and the main home hope for the general classification. A superb climber with an excellent time trial.
- Martin Bárta (No. 15): Came through the prestigious Auto Eder junior team, a breeding ground for Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe. A rider with impressive international experience.
Denmark
- Mads Landbo (No. 20): A sprint rocket from Uno-X Mobility Development Team. If it comes down to a bunch sprint, he is the man to beat.
- Malte Hellerup (No. 24): An experienced Continental rider who reads races well and knows how to get into breakaways.
Team Drali-Repsol (Norway)
- Tobias Nakken (No. 25): A rider with experience from the British outfit Trinity Racing. Technically skilled and well suited to tough northern racing conditions.
- Halvor Sandstad (No. 30): A very aggressive young Norwegian, always eager to attack and certain to catch the eye of journalists.
Fany Gastro Integray L27 (Czech Republic)
- Filip Saidl (No. 34) & Vojtěch Seidl (No. 33): A commentator’s nightmare — two riders with almost identical surnames on the same team.
- Maxmilian Kerl (No. 35): The team’s driving force, with a strong tempo and the ability to trouble the favourites from breakaways on home roads he knows perfectly.
Favorit Brno (Czech Republic)
- Jakub Elbadri (No. 38): A very interesting name with exotic roots, but entirely developed by Favorit Brno. A highly combative rider.
- Daniel Mlejnek (No. 39): An experienced track and road rider who gives the team tactical maturity.
Germany
- Mauro Brenner (No. 46): Younger brother of Marc Brenner, currently a WorldTour rider for Tudor. Mauro has cycling in his blood and feels right at home on demanding terrain.
- Leopold Beirig (No. 45): A major German force in the time trial and on the flat.
Hagens Berman Jayco Cycling Team (Australia)
- Ben Wiggins (No. 54): Son of Tour de France winner Sir Bradley Wiggins. Closely followed by the media around the world.
- Adam Rafferty (No. 51): Younger brother of Darren Rafferty from EF Education–EasyPost. An Irish engine built for the toughest days.
Israel
- Matar Peretz Hardeball (No. 55): A member of the Israel–Premier Tech academy. Regularly races in Western Europe and has experience in demanding international classics.
- Ehud First Milnitzky (No. 59): A fighter and an interesting figure from the new generation of Israeli cycling.
Kasper crypto4me (Czech Republic)
- Václav Ježek (No. 65): A cyclo-cross and mountain bike star who brings great bike-handling skills and explosiveness to the road. This year’s Tour of Hellas winner.
- Štěpán Zahálka (No. 62): Son of former successful Czech professional and national champion Kamil Zahálka. A continuation of the family tradition.
Kazakhstan
- Mikhail Podluzhnyy (No. 70): One of Asia’s most exciting young talents, a product of the Astana Qazaqstan academy. A rider with that typical tireless Asian racing style.
- Mansur Beisembai (No. 68): A very strong climber who will be eager to showcase the Kazakh colours on the long ascents.
Poland
- Michal Zelazowski (No. 78): Poland’s most experienced rider, having spent several years in Italian teams. An excellent tactician for hilly terrain.
- Marceli Pera (No. 74): Young Polish blood with a strong finish from small groups.
Portugal
- Daniel Lima (No. 79): The jewel of the Portuguese team, who previously rode for the Israel–Premier Tech Academy. Particularly strong on the short, steep ramps that the Peace Race often delivers.
- João Martins (No. 81): A very solid climber and a key man for the national team in the mountains.
TUFO PARDUS Prostějov (Czech Republic)
- Franciszek Kocur (No. 87): A Polish rider racing in Czech colours. Prostějov has helped him adapt brilliantly to the Czech environment.
- Daniel Šilhavý (No. 89) & Vojtěch Soukup (No. 86): Products of Prostějov’s track school — they have excellent acceleration, a great feel for bunch positioning and plenty of speed.
Slovakia
- Tomáš Sivok (No. 93): A Slovak talent riding in the colours of Team Voster.
- Samuel Novák (No. 92): Another Slovak rider gaining experience in top foreign academies.
Slovenia
- Anže Ravbar (No. 98): Junior European champion from 2023. One of the leading favourites for the fast finishes.
- Erazem Valjavec (No. 97): Son of Slovenian legend Tadej Valjavec, a former Tour de France top-10 finisher.
- Vid Murn (No. 102): Son of Uroš Murn, the outstanding Slovenian sprinter from the turn of the millennium. Slovenia arrives packed with cycling family dynasties.
Spain
- Estalislao Calabuig Vazquez (No. 103): A product of the Caja Rural development system. A classic Spanish climber built for long, hard ascents.
- Eñaut Urcaregui Sanz (No. 106): A Basque rider who lives up to the heritage of his region — fierce in the mountains and naturally aggressive in his racing style.
Sweden
- Teodor De Luca (No. 112): A Swede with Italian roots, combining Scandinavian coolness with Italian cycling instinct.
- Gustav Lovidius (No. 109): The leader of the Swedish team, especially strong on flat and windy stages.
Tudor Pro Cycling Team U23 (Switzerland)
- Jackson Medway (No. 119): An Australian time-trial super talent recruited by the legendary Fabian Cancellara for his team.
- Juan David Sierra (No. 120): A fast Italian rider in Swiss colours, and a medallist from junior championships.
Ukraine
- Mykola Hovorun (No. 122) & Bohdan Hovorun (No. 123): One of the best media stories of the race — identical twins riding side by side in the Ukrainian national jersey.
- Heorhii Chyzhykov (No. 121): A deeply emotional story of a young rider who, despite the difficult situation at home in Ukraine, continues to beat top European competition.
Team United Shipping (Hungary)
- Barnabás Vas (No. 131): Brother of Hungarian cycling superstar Blanka Vas of SD Worx.
USA
- Gavin Sherry (No. 135): A perfect example of the American system — extremely athletic, physically gifted and unafraid of long breakaways.
- Beckam Drake (No. 133): A rider with the name of a movie star and a big talent for fast, technical stage finishes.
