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Analysis written by Diego Martín (@MartinTheCaleb)

ROUTE ANALYSIS OF THE GP OETINGEN 2026

Wednesday, March 11 - Sint-Pieters-Leeuw - Oetingen: 140 km

• Schedule: 12:30 p.m. - 3:55 p.m. (local time).

It is now the turn of the race in Pajottenland. The GP Oetingen reaches its sixth edition while remaining true to its essence. It still starts and finishes in the Belgian region of Pajottenland, part of the province of Flemish Brabant, a name that evokes plenty of rhymes and smiles. Let’s remember that the name comes from the term used for the mercenaries from this region: pajot.

The peloton will cover an initial circuit or loop in Pajottenland with several cobbled sectors and climbs before tackling five laps of a final circuit of almost 12 km in Oetingen.

The final circuit in Oetingen has three key linked segments: a first 500-metre cobbled stretch that ends less than 4 km from the finish; a second pavé section of approximately 1.1 km that concludes about 2.5 km from the finish, serving as a prelude to the final climb to the Zavelberg. It is not an iconic climb on the calendar.

But the preceding sequence and its short distance to the finish (approx. 2 km) make it decisive. It has around 700 m at an average gradient of 4 %, with ramps close to 10 %. It is a finish capable of breaking up large groups, but one in which some of the best sprinters can feel perfectly at home.

WEATHER

Rain is forecast in the hours before the race, so the roads and cobbles will be wet. It may rain during the race, although it is more likely to do so during the first hour. Mild temperatures between 10 and 12 degrees are expected during the one-day race. This, combined with rain and wind, will make it feel considerably colder. The wind could be a factor to take into account in some sections of the circuits. Gusts of up to 45 km/h are forecast, with averages around 20.

FAVORITES FOR VICTORY IN THE GP OETINGEN 2026

Preamble

Although at first glance the route of the GP Oetingen 2026 does not seem excessively hard, it is a race that has only once been decided in a sprint from a large group. Normally, the roads, the climbs, the cobbled sections and, above all, the intensity of the riders end up wearing down the main group. Even so, it is an open race for several rider profiles.

The big favorite

With Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx - Protime) on the start line and with this route, it is hard not to consider her the big favorite. It is true that her performances on the climbs do not seem to have improved enough to follow the big attacks, as we saw at Omloop. But this is not such a hard route, and we also do not expect many teams to try to make the race as tough as at the start of the season.

The Dutch team is, on paper, the big favorite, given the squad they bring. Besides Wiebes, some of her usual lead-out riders such as the Dutch Femke Gerritse, the Italian Barbara Guarischi and the Pole Marta Lach could have their chances in a group finish. It is likely that the Dutch team will try to make the race hard and turn it into a war of attrition, especially on the final circuit.

The Irish rider Lara Gillespie (UAE Team ADQ) has become this season one of the sprinters to watch in her bid for the top step among the fast finishers. She showed promise in the United Arab Emirates and confirmed it the previous weekend in Belgium with a win and a second place.

Other favorites and contenders

We have already made it clear that the most likely scenario is for the race to be decided in a reduced-group sprint. In that sense, we should highlight other fast women capable of overcoming the pavé sectors and climbs where, on paper, they should be able to stay in contention.

Riders such as the Norwegian Susanne Andersen and the Swiss Linda Zanetti (Uno-X Mobility), the Australian Georgia Baker (Liv AlUla Jayco), the Belgian Marthe Goossens and the Frenchwoman Gladys Verhulst-Wild (AG Insurance-Soudal), the French Clara Copponi (Lidl-Trek), the Dutch Nienke Veenhofen (Visma | Lease a Bike), the Dutch riders Eline Jansen and Amber van der Hulst (VolkerWessels), the Briton Carys Lloyd (Movistar) or the Dutch Megan Arens (Team Picnic PostNL), as well as riders with a different profile such as the Briton Anna Henderson (Lidl - Trek) or the Pole Marta Jaskulska (Human Powered Health).