Dutch stage winner in Tour de l'Avenir, while 'super-talent Finn prepares for pro step and could face Pogačar and Evenepoel at Worlds and Europeans'
CyclingSaturday, 22 August 2026 at 15:05
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Follow us on GoogleThe Tour de l'Avenir is traditionally one of the best places to spot cycling's stars of tomorrow, and that is proving true again in 2026. Dutchman Keije Solen claimed victory on stage two on Friday, while one of the biggest names in the race is Italian super-talent Lorenzo Finn. The 19-year-old is preparing for the step up to the professional ranks and could even find himself racing against Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel before the end of this season.
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Solen won Friday's stage after a chaotic day in France. A huge crash forced the race to be neutralised for around 15 minutes, while the organisers later decided to take the general classification times with ten kilometres remaining. That left the faster riders free to contest the stage, with Solen finishing off the work of Lotto-Groupe Wanty in the sprint. His teammate Niels Driesen had already won the opening stage.
The Tour de l'Avenir has produced an extraordinary list of future stars over the years. Egan Bernal won in 2017 and Tadej Pogačar followed him in 2018, while more recent editions have been won by Isaac Del Toro, Joe Blackmore and Paul Seixas. Finn finished fourth overall behind Seixas in 2025 and has since taken another major step forward.
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The Italian is the reigning U23 world champion and added overall victory in the Giro Next Gen to his palmarès earlier this summer. Finn won two stages there, including the concluding time trial, and finished more than two minutes clear of his closest rivals in the general classification. He then underlined that progress against professional opposition by winning the Sibiu Tour in Romania.
Read more below the video!
Finn could already race the elite World Championships and European Championships
Among those involved in the crash were Matisse Van Kerckhove of Visma | Lease a Bike—who intends to continue—as well as top favorite Mark Lorenzo Finn. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the U23 world champion—who became junior world champion the previous year—will make the transition to the pros after the Tour de l’Avenir.
Finn is expected to follow the Seixas path and aims to take on Tadej Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel, and others as early as the European and World Championships. Seixas did the same last year after winning the Tour de l’Avenir.
David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
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Latest Comments
- - Van Aert vs Pedersen again? Sign me up. Their Giro ’25 battles were epic, and Manosque suits Mads’ diesel sprint. If Lidl–Trek control the run‑in, he’s favourite. Vamos, Pedersen!julien21-08-2026
- - Great piece, but small nitpick: you mention “read more below the photo” and there’s a stray “p” in there—bit messy editing. Also, are we sure about back-to-back Provence wins in 2024 and 2025? Thought 2024 was certain, 2025 was a different profile?cadencekingm21-08-2026
- - Quick question: when he says “red jersey isn’t a goal,” does that mean he won’t contest the TT fully if splits risk fatigue, or is it just he won’t defend it if he gets it by accident?cyclechamp4521-08-2026
- - Five to seven sprint/punchy chances sounds about right, but some of those “tough stages” might be borderline for him if the break goes long. Positioning will be everything. Allez Mads!samanthak21-08-2026
- - Love the honesty from Mads. Target the stages, help Skjelmose for GC—clear plan. Monaco TT could even surprise, he’s been sharp against the clock lately.patriciaw21-08-2026
- - Vamos Pogi! Conoce cada curva en Monaco. Pero ojo, TT técnica + calor = errores fáciles. Força campeón, pero respeto a los demás, la Vuelta nunca es “fácil.”davidm21-08-2026
- - The article undersells recovery. Two peak blocks so close—Tour into Vuelta—then Worlds/Euros/Lombardia? That’s brutal. Not sure UAE can control all three weeks if he tries to bank energy.cyclechamp4521-08-2026
- - Starting in Monaco suits him, but I don’t see him taking red day one. Specialists like Evenepoel or Ganna (if selected) should be quicker on a twisty prologue. The real gaps will come on the first summit finish.bikebuffj21-08-2026
- - Is it normal that riders can’t sleep at home if the race passes their city? How do they enforce that? Curious how strict the Vuelta is on that rule.andrewf21-08-2026
- - Love Tadej’s attitude shutting down the “weak field” narrative. Roglič, Ayuso, Evenepoel’s TT form, and a stacked Ineos make this anything but easy. Monaco TT could be spicy with those technical corners.pedalpowe2921-08-2026
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