Tour of Istanbul 2026: Balmer and Jeannière Lead a Quality Startlist

Tour of Istanbul 2026: date, category and routeOn Thursday, September 3, 2026, the Tour of Istanbul will take place, a procontinental race held in Turkey. An event that aims to enhance Turkish cycling and offer spectacle on roads rich in history and charm. The route, with its hilly profile, could reward attackers and climbers, but sprinters will certainly have their chances too.Expected contendersThe startlist, counting 110 riders, features top Pro Continental and Continental teams. Among the standout names are Alexandre Balmer (Solution Tech NIPPO Rali), Emilien Jeannière (TotalEnergies), Milan Menten (Lotto Intermarché) and Marcin Budziński (MBH Bank CSB Telecom Fort). Keep an eye also on Manuel Peñalver (Team Polti VisitMalta), Márton Dina (MBH Bank CSB Telecom Fort) and young Gustav Wang (XDS Astana Development Team).This year's results of the big namesLooking at the season's history, Alexandre Balmer has shown great consistency: 2nd at GP Vorarlberg, 5th at Giro dell'Appennino and 8th at Ordu Black Sea Classic. Emilien Jeannière impressed with 3rd at Scheldeprijs, a higher-level race, and 12th at Classic Velox Adélie de Vitré. Milan Menten collected a 5th at Lotto Famenne Ardenne Classic and 9th at Ronde van Limburg. Marcin Budziński reached the podium at Trofeo Città di Brescia (2nd) and finished 10th at Trofeo Alcide Degasperi and NXT Classic. Manuel Peñalver was 2nd at Veenendaal-Veenendaal and 9th at the Mediterranean Games. Among the outsiders, Giovanni Lonardi (4th at Classic Velox Adélie de Vitré), Márton Dina (2nd at GP Slovakia) and Gustav Wang (2nd at GP Herning) could spring a surprise.Favourites for the final victoryBased on the data collected, the number one favourite is Alexandre Balmer: his ability to adapt to different routes and the results obtained on climbs and semi-classics make him the main candidate for the overall classification. Behind him, Emilien Jeannière represents the biggest threat in case of a bunch sprint, thanks to his podium at Scheldeprijs. Milan Menten, supported by a numerous and competitive team like Lotto Intermarché, is the third man to watch. Lotto Intermarché fields seven riders at the start, the highest number among the teams present, a sign of great ambition — source: OFFICIAL RACE DATA. Also watch out for Marcin Budziński, who with his consistency could get into the fight for the podium.