Startlist ADAC Cyclassics Hamburg 2026 - Riders: Isaac del Toro, Jonathan Milan, Olav Kooij, Michael Matthews, Paul Magnier and more

The ADAC Cyclassics Hamburg returns on Sunday, 16 August 2026, with another strong field set to tackle one of the most distinctive one-day races on the UCI WorldTour calendar. Starting in Buxtehude and finishing in the centre of Hamburg, the 205.7-kilometre race brings together some of the fastest sprinters in the peloton alongside riders capable of making the difference on the repeated climbs of the Waseberg.

Below, you can find the full startlist for the 2026 ADAC Cyclassics Hamburg, including all of the teams and riders expected to take part in this year's edition.
Download the full A4 startlist here.

The race has traditionally offered opportunities to fast finishers, although recent editions have shown there is more than one way to win in Hamburg. Rory Townsend produced one of the biggest surprises in the race's recent history in 2025, somehow holding off the charging peloton after spending much of the day in the breakaway. Behind him, Arnaud De Lie and Paul Magnier completed the podium.

A year earlier, Olav Kooij took victory ahead of Jonathan Milan and Biniam Girmay, while Mads Pedersen won in 2023. Marco Haller was victorious in 2022, meaning three of the last four winners, Townsend, Kooij and Haller, are back on the startlist in 2026.

There is no shortage of sprinting firepower this time around. Jonathan Milan leads Lidl-Trek's challenge, while 2024 winner Olav Kooij returns with Decathlon CMA CGM Team. Arnaud De Lie, runner-up to Townsend twelve months ago, is another obvious name towards the top of the startlist, as is former Tour de France green jersey winner Biniam Girmay.

Alpecin-Premier Tech bring Kaden Groves, while Paul Magnier, third here in 2025, starts for Soudal – Quick-Step. Dylan Groenewegen, Sam Bennett, Phil Bauhaus, Pavel Bittner and Michael Matthews add further depth to a field packed with riders capable of winning from a reduced or larger group.

The route does, however, give stronger classics riders an opportunity to disrupt the expected sprint battle. Five passages of the short but steep Waseberg, which measures around 700 metres and reaches gradients of up to 16 per cent, provide the main obstacle before the finish on Monckebergstrasse. The final ascent comes with roughly 16 kilometres still to race, leaving enough distance for dropped sprinters to chase back but also offering an obvious launchpad for attacks.

That brings riders such as Matej Mohoric, Jhonatan Narvaez, Isaac del Toro, Fred Wright, Laurence Pithie and Matthews into the equation, while Townsend will return as defending champion after proving in 2025 that Hamburg does not always follow the expected script.