"Everything starts from scratch": Jarno Widar looks to carve out his own path in debut WorldTour season

Jarno Widar's arrival in WorldTour is one of the most anticipated debuts of 2026. After making a name for himself as one of the most outstanding junior talents, the Belgian continued to impress with his raw potential over the two seasons in under-23 category. A period which was concluded in style with a European under-23 title. Now taking a step up, the Lotto-Intermarché starlet has a bright future ahead.

"I started my preparation on November 1st, and everything has gone smoothly since then. I haven't gotten sick yet, so everything is going according to plan," Widar reported to Sporza at a media day.

We're all curious as to where will Widar show off his talents, but the 20-year-old prefers to keep his trump cards close for now. "I always have goals in mind, but I'm going to keep them to myself. It's a bit of a disaster if I say them out loud. I'm going to try to work on them myself and do my best."

Widar will kick off his season in Portugal with the Figueira Classic and the Tour of the Algarve. After that, he'll work towards the Walloon classics. "I'm not doing the Amstel Gold Race for now, but it might remain an option. The Giro d'Italia isn't on the table after that." Neither is Tour de France a part of his plans, but Vuelta a Espana could well be, depending on how season develops.

One name that usually doesn't go unmentioned when speaking about Widar is Paul Seixas. A year younger Frenchman already made strides in WorldTour as a 1st under-23, finishing 3rd at the elite European Championships, just shy of Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel, two of the very best in the cycling world.

And the reason Widar would get brought up in connection to Seixas? Widar was able to beat the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale rider twice at the Tour de l'Avenir, even though he eventually missed out on the overall victory as Seixas turned out to be stronger in both uphill timetrials. Their paths are inevitably going to cross again in the future, although Widar aims to carve out his own path in WorldTour.

"He's done exceptionally well, but he's a different type of rider. We're both climbers, but he's more of a single-paced rider, while I'm more of a puncher-climber."

Widar's explosiveness seems to be his main weapon in tactical finishes. It worked like a charm in juniors, and it did the trick also in under-23s, but will it be enough to set himself apart from other WorldTour riders in the races ahead?

"Everything starts from scratch," Widar is cautious about making future predictions. "You want results, but if I can just become the best version of myself, I'll be proud of myself."

"I haven't achieved anything in the professional peloton yet. It's a new category, with new opportunities. I'm looking forward to it. It's a dream come true. I dreamed of turning pro as a little boy. Now that's happening. Little Jarno would be proud," he concludes.