Five future stars - The neo-pros to watch in 2026
Several of cycling’s brightest young talents are preparing to step up from development teams to the WorldTour in 2026. Among them are riders who could shape the narrative of the 2026 season. We take a closer look at five prospects to watch.
1. Jarno Widar (Lotto)
This one was always going to be obvious. The Belgian wonderkid joins the Lotto WorldTour squad and looks set to hit the ground running. While 2025 didn’t bring the same volume of victories as his 2024 campaign – when he claimed the Giro Next Gen – Widar still shone with a strong ride in the Tour de l’Avenir, finishing behind current pro Paul Seixas.
He added the U23 editions of Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Flèche Ardennaise to his palmarès, both featuring many of the climbs from the senior Ardennes classics. For Lotto, who struggled badly in the 2025 spring campaign, Widar could be the rider to turn things around.
What makes him even more valuable is his versatility. With Lennert van Eetvelt plagued by bad luck, Widar’s ability to perform in stage races could be vital for Lotto’s ambitions in 2026.
2. Jakob Söderqvist (Lidl-Trek)
To put it simply, Jakob Söderqvist is an absolute engine. If you can recall back to the opening of the 2025 season at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, his 2nd ever professional race, Söderqvist put in a monstrous effort to pull Jonathan Milan close to stage victory after tackling over 3500 metres of elevation.
Söderqvist has already had numerous professional races now under his belt in 2025 including most recently at the Tour of Denmark where he even finished in 2nd in the general classification. He will be aiming to utilise all of the the racing experience heading into 2026.
The most notable skills the the young Swede possesses is in time-trial's and being a pure engine, meaning he could have a role to play in the sprint trains of Jonathan Milan and Mads Pedersen on 2026.
3. Tim Rex (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Tim Rex has already displayed strong signs in the 2025 season for Visma | Lease a Bike. In the Tour de l'Ain, Rex tore into the peloton with monster turns for his leader, Cian Uijtdebroeks, who would go on to win the general classification at the French stage race.
Expect to see him fulfil a similar role in races he lines up in next year for Visma, whilst also having the potential to be a powerful workhorse in future classics races, but it remains to be seen how Tim Rex could break into that squad, due to the very similar types of riders Visma also obtain in that style.
4. Maxime Decomble (Groupama-FDJ)
Like Söderqvist, Maxime Decomble is a rider who thrives against the clock. He’s already posted solid results in the MU category and finished 8th at the French national time trial championships. At the Tour de l’Avenir, he held the yellow jersey until the final TT, eventually finishing 5th overall after losing out to compatriot Paul Seixas.
At Groupama-FDJ, Decomble will have the chance to learn from one of the best: Rémi Cavagna, the multiple French TT champion nicknamed the “TGV of Clermont-Ferrand.” With Stefan Küng gone, the duo could spearhead the team’s time-trial ambitions in 2026 and beyond.
5. Senna Remijn (Alpecin Deceuninck)
Senna Remijn is brimming with classics potential. He’s already impressed with a 3rd place in Paris-Roubaix Espoirs and 2nd at U23 Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
The jump to the WorldTour is always steep, but Alpecin-Deceuninck have openings in their classics line-up following several departures. If Remijn adapts quickly, he could become an important piece in their spring arsenal.
