A very open battle is announced both for the general classification and for the partial victories at the Arctic Race of Norway 2026. Absent from the entire podium of last year (neither the defending champion Corbin Strong nor Tom Pidcock and Christian Scaroni will be competing this time around), the short Norwegian stage race will crown a new champion and, very likely, will also reward new stage winners along its course.

Let us analyze, therefore, by reviewing the official startlist, who will very probably ignite the thirteenth edition of the Scandinavian .Pro race from today until Sunday, which, in an absolutely balanced manner, will offer two days for the sprinters and as many (the last two) for the puncheurs and those aspiring to the final triumph.

THE BATTLE FOR THE YELLOW JERSEY

Looking at the field of starters that has gathered in recent hours in Norwegian territory, based on their characteristics and what they have shown this season, the first two names to indicate as primary favorites are those of Lennert Van Eetvelt and Thomas Silva. Both explosive and equipped with that kick to leave their opponents behind on double-digit gradients, the Belgian and the Uruguayan could be the true beacons of a race that, however, as far as the conquest of the "midnight sun" yellow jersey is concerned, will certainly see other athletes cultivate important dreams of glory.

This is the case, for example, of Byron Munton (who appeared very solid on climbs at the Sibiu Tour concluded in second place behind Lorenzo Finn), of Sebastian Berwick (winner of the Presidential Tour of Türkiye in early May), of Johannes Kulset (who, as a Norwegian, will have extra motivation on his side) and of a super veteran like Wout Poels (at 38 years old the oldest in the race) to whom, certainly, experience and solidity do not lack to attempt to excel in events of this kind.

At Unibet Rose Rockets (in desperate search of UCI points to close the season among the top three ProTeams in the ranking), the Dutchman could run parallel to Odd Christian Eiking who, driven by sweet memories (the former Intermarché won in 2019 on what will be this year's finish of the third stage), could carve out a leading role on par with men who perhaps will not start with the main favorites like Bjoern Koerdt (who did not at all disappoint at the Vuelta a Burgos last week), Mark Donovan (4th at the Sibiu Tour at the beginning of last month), Jon Agirre (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Joris Delbove (TotalEnergies).

THE SPRINTERS FOR THE FIRST DAYS

Points of absolute reference as regards the stages with finishes suitable for sprinters should be on one side Ethan Vernon and on the other Casper van Uden. Both victorious this season, both the Englishman from NSN (who at the Arctic Race has always done great things as evidenced by the three general classification victories obtained in the past) and the Dutchman from PicNic PostNL have on paper something more than the rest of the competition they will find alongside them in the fractions with fast finishes that, however, as is well known, are never straightforward.

It is therefore not to be excluded that from the mix there may also emerge winners riders who start just behind them in the hierarchies such as Erlend Blikra (in search of redemption after the difficulties shown at the Giro and a dull Tour of Denmark), Lionel Taminiaux (Lotto Intermarché), Paul Hennequin (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Cole Kessler (Modern Adventure), Jason Tesson (TotalEnergies), the trainee in XDS Astana jersey Nikiforos Arvanitou and Karsten Feldmann (Unibet Rose Rockets) who, relieved of his duties as Groenewegen's last man, could have a free hand to hunt for a victory in his home race.

THE ITALIANS IN THE RACE

Focusing instead on the Italian contingent that will be called to perform over the next four days in Norway, the greatest expectations (and hopes) are placed on Alessandro Pinarello, Giovanni Lonardi and Ludovico Crescioli.

The first, if close to the condition shown at the O Gran Caminho in April, could insert himself into the battle for the yellow jersey and try to aspire to something important in the last two stages favorable to him, fractions in which the young standard-bearer of Polti VisitMalta could also stand out, who certainly, after having painted a decidedly rosy season so far, does not want to stop amazing and discovering his limits. Remaining within the ranks of Ivan Basso and Alberto Contador's team, Lonardi instead has all the credentials to perform well in the sprint and contend until the end, also with the help of men appointed to launch him properly such as Mirco Maestri and Andrea Pietrobon, for victory in today's and tomorrow's stages.

Together with them, Alessandro Covi (Jayco AlUla) will also color the roads of Nordland with the Italian tricolor, who is not excluded from having the possibility, reading what the race will offer him, to play his cards in some circumstance. Overall, therefore, as last year, there will be six Italians at the start, all at their first experience in the race beyond the Arctic Circle, a latitude where from tomorrow, together with 65 athletes (the total is 71 debutants out of 108 starters), they will find themselves giving their first pedal strokes.

SCANDINAVIAN CONTINENTAL TEAMS: THE NAMES TO WATCH

It will be interesting to see who, among the many Scandinavian Continental teams invited for the occasion, will be able to leave a mark during the four days of racing by trying not only to race on par with the representatives of professional teams but also to carve out a space among them.

From this point of view there is curiosity around Sweden which will return after 13 years to the stage of the Arctic Race of Norway with the only Continental team currently active in the country, the Lucky Sport Cycling Team: after a year of adaptation, the yellow and purple team has significantly increased the level of its calendar by taking part in .1 and .Pro races where enthusiasts have had the opportunity to observe up close feats such as those of Finnish road champion Axel Källberg, young Teodor De Luca (second best young at the last Tour of Denmark) and Estonian time trial champion Frank Aron Ragilo who will be the three names to watch most closely in the coming days in Norway.

A similar discussion, but within Drali-Repsol, applies to Tobias Risan Nakken (seventh at Corato in last year's Giro Next Gen) and especially Toralf Rydnigen Martinsen, who revealed himself to the general public this year with convincing performances at the Tour of Rhodes, the Fleche du Sud and in particular at the Tour of Austria where he finished eighth both in the queen stage and in the general classification.

In the race Toralf will find as an opponent what until last year was his team, Team Lillehammer CK, where the greatest responsibilities will very likely fall to the former EF Education-NIPPO Development Henrik Teslo Fjellheim. The same role, but in Team Ringerike, will be covered by Kevin Andre Messel, winner of the home race (the always competitive GP Ringerike) and the only element of the team able, together with Ludvik Holstad (also called up), to achieve a top-ten finish in this 2026.

Also thanks to them, Norway (a country that in the race record books boasts the highest number of stage victories) will be the best represented nation at the start from Evenes tomorrow with thirty elements, nineteen more than Belgium and France: who knows if, among these, there will also be the name of the one who will manage to break a fast that for the home crowd has lasted four years now, since the last Norwegian rider able to win the Arctic Race was Andreas Leknessund in 2022.