The 2026 Classic Var will be taking place on the 21st of February and will be the first of two one-day races in a weekend of full-on racing in France. It is a race that is more suited to the sprinters this year, and should see a new rider add its name to the palmarès. We preview the race ahead.
The race was created only in 2024, a very recent one, as the Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var has split into separate events. The Var region has always had its own racing, and currently has its own one-day race. Lenny Martínez and last year Christian Scaroni took the previous victories in this race, both of which had steep hilltop finishes on different climbs.
The route is less difficult than what the riders have found in the past, and this is going to be a race which can end in multiple scenarios. The riders depart from La Garde early on and quickly find the most difficult climb of the day, which is 6.8 kilometers long at 4.8%. Nothing too difficult, and the truth is the race lacks true climbs this time around, and that makes it one that will be guided towards the sprinters.
But that does not mean its an easy race, as the riders find rolling roads all day long. A sprint is expected into Brignoles after 175 kilometers on the bike, but there will certainly be many that will suffer beforehand, whilst early attacks and breakaways will not be easy to control in such terrain.
Profile : La Garde - Brignoles
La Garde - Brignoles, 175.5 kilometers
Prediction Classic Var 2026:
*** Phil Bauhaus, Giovanni Lonardi
** Milan Menten, Rick Pluimers, Thibaud Gruel
* Simone Velasco, Quinn Simmons, Aurélien Paret-Peintre, Paul Lapeira, Stanislaw Aniolkowski, Matyas Kopecky, Joppe Heremans, Jason Tesson, Jenthe Biermans
** Milan Menten, Rick Pluimers, Thibaud Gruel
* Simone Velasco, Quinn Simmons, Aurélien Paret-Peintre, Paul Lapeira, Stanislaw Aniolkowski, Matyas Kopecky, Joppe Heremans, Jason Tesson, Jenthe Biermans
Pick: Phil Bauhaus
How: Bunch sprint.
Original: Rúben Silva
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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