Five riders likely to win a Classic in the coming years

There is not doubting that Albert Withen Philipsen is a top talent, which he signalled by becoming junior world champion in 2023. In his neo-pro season at Lidl-Trek, the Dane flew out of the traps at the Santos Tour Down Under and went on to win the youth classification in his first race as a professional.

He also won Paris-Roubaix Espoirs, where he beat some of the future Classics stars making their way through the youth cycling ranks, highlighting his immense potential.

Withen Philipsen's performances in the one-day races this past Autumn were perhaps an even greater step forward as he finished on the podium of Tre Valli Varesine and Paris-Tours, mixing it up with some of the best Classics riders within the professional peloton. 

It would not be a surprise to Within Philipsen shine in the Classics when he is given the pathway to do so on a roster that is already seriously stacked in that regard.

A rider who came oh-so-close to achieving a first Classic win in 2025, Pierre Gautherat of Decathlon has been there or thereabouts in a number of big one-day races since the 2023 season. The Frenchman finished on the podium of the Tro-Bro Léon in 2024 and 2025, and he was on the brink of top ten finishes in a number of Belgian Classics.

With the brutal nature of the 2025 Tro-Bro Léon, Gautherat thrived on home soil and went on to finish second in what was sensational teamwork between himself and Bastien Tronchon as they celebrated the victory side-by-side. 

Gautherat has a rapid finish, which could be key to his future Classics hopes. The 22-year-old's ability to resist harsh terrain was showcased at Tro-Bro Léon, for example, and his finishing speed seems to remain sharp even on the toughest days.

Louis Barré raced for Intermarché-Wanty in 2025 but it's not clear if he will remain with the team after its impending merger with Lotto, as Visma | Lease a Bike wait in the wings.

It's certain, however, that the Frenchman delivered some brilliant rides during the 2025 season, including his sixth-place finish at Amstel Gold Race.

Sixth place had become a certain theme for Barré as he also finished in that position in the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal, Classic Var and GP Industria & Artigianato in 2025. Wherever he ends up, it will be an interesting proposition to see how Barré can perform in 2026.

A man with an immense pedigree in the cyclocross scene, Thibau Nys has been applying his craft on the road modestly, but he did achieve a top five in a monument back at Liège-Bastogne-Liège in April, after solid outings at Flèche Wallonne and Amstel Gold Race. 

That strongly suggests that Nys has the talent to achieve a victory in these races in the future. His victory at the Gran Premio Miguel Indurain in April was a perfect example of the way in which Nys can win, with his classy climbing which is usually followed up with a burst of speed to the line. Nys is a rider to watch out for in the hilly classics in 2026, that much is for certain.

Saving our best pick until last and that is Kévin Vauquelin. A Tour de France stage winner from 2024 and an amazing general classification performance in the 2025 Tour, the Frenchman had some other notable results in 2025, such as another second place on the Mur de Huy at La Flèche Wallonne. That has led to Vauquelin joining the former powerhouse of cycling, Ineos. 

The wicked kick that the man from Brittany possess only bodes well for his future chances in the Classics, and at Ineos he might form a double act with his compatriot Axel Laurence.

With the opportunity of Grand Tour leadership potentially blocked due to the experienced Grand Tour riders already in place at Ineos heading into the 2026 season, Vauquelin might test his efforts in races such as the Amstel Gold Race and Flèche Wallonne. The latter will prove a significant challenge, mind, as he would more than likely have to beat Tadej Pogačar up the Mur de Huy. Easier said than done.