Stage 1 of the 2026 Tour of Austria covers 188 km from Graz to Gamlitz on a hilly profile with a flat finale, rewarding riders who can handle punchy terrain but are not necessarily pure climbers. The flat finish means a small group of hill-capable rouleurs could contest a bunch sprint, favouring those who combine Hills strength with a decent Sprint score. As a 2.1-ranked race opener, teams will be looking to set the tone for the overall classification while opportunists target a breakaway or reduced-bunch win.
★★★★
Top Favorite
Benoît Cosnefroy is the standout pick at 4 stars. His Hills rating of 77, two wins from 15 recent hilly-profile races, four podiums and seven top-10s make him the most complete performer in this field. With UAE Emirates behind him, he arrives as the clear race favourite.
UAE Emirates
UAE Emirates
Benoît Cosnefroy leads the field in recent hilly-profile form with 2 wins, 4 podiums and 7 top-10s from 15 comparable races, including a best result of 1st. His Hills rating of 77 is among the highest in the field and UAE Emirates can provide strong support.
★★★
Strong Contenders
Andrea Bagioli and Igor Arrieta share 3-star status as the most credible challengers. Bagioli matches Cosnefroy's Hills rating and has a podium and best result of 3rd in similar races, while Arrieta's race-day sharpness — one win and two podiums from 12 outings — gives him genuine winning potential.
Lidl-Trek
Lidl-Trek
Andrea Bagioli matches Cosnefroy's Hills rating of 77 and recorded a podium in similar-profile races with a best of 3rd from 7 outings. Lidl-Trek fields a strong squad here, giving Bagioli the team infrastructure to contest the finish.
UAE Emirates
UAE Emirates
Igor Arrieta has been the most active performer in recent hilly races with 1 win, 2 podiums and 4 top-10s from 12 starts, posting a best of 1st. His Hills rating of 75 is solid and his race-sharpness makes him a genuine threat.
★★
Dark Horses
Carlos Rodríguez, Jan Christen and Tibor del Grosso are selected as dark horses. Rodríguez's unmatched Climbing stat of 77 and Legendary rarity suggest talent that could surface on a tough hilly stage, Christen's Hills ceiling of 78 is the highest in the field, and Del Grosso's 4th-place best result shows he can deliver on this profile.
INEOS Grenadiers
INEOS Grenadiers
Carlos Rodríguez carries the highest Climbing stat in the field (77) and a Legendary card rarity, underlining his class on undulating terrain. Although his average position in recent hilly races sits at 42.5, a field of this level suits him and INEOS provide excellent support.
UAE Emirates
UAE Emirates
Jan Christen tops the Hills rankings at 78 and is confirmed for the Tour of Austria, riding for title-contending UAE Emirates. His recent form average of 58.0 is unimpressive, but his raw stat ceiling makes him a legitimate dark horse for a reduced-bunch finish.
Alpecin-Premier Tech
Alpecin-Premier Tech
Tibor del Grosso posted 2 top-10s and a best of 4th from 8 recent hilly races, the strongest best-result among riders with average positions outside the top 30. His Hills rating of 75 and Epic rarity back up his credentials as a potential surprise contender.
★
Ones to Watch
Miguel Heidemann, Neilson Powless, Tao Geoghegan Hart and Filippo Baroncini round out the top 10 as ones to watch. Heidemann's podium and best of 2nd in comparable races is the highlight, while the other three bring high raw stats, Grand Tour pedigree and strong team support that could see them feature in a reduced-group finish.
UAE Emirates
UAE Emirates
Filippo Baroncini blends a Hills score of 74 with a strong TT of 76 and a Sprint of 71, making him versatile on a hilly stage ending on a flat finish. He recorded a top-8 best result in similar-profile races and UAE Emirates' numbers give him a platform to play.
REMBE - rad-net
REMBE - rad-net
Miguel Heidemann recorded a podium in comparable races and has a best of 2nd, the joint-best best-result among riders outside the top highlighted tier. His Hills rating of 69 is lower, but recent form shows genuine race-winning speed on this profile.
EF - EasyPost
EF - EasyPost
Neilson Powless brings an Epic card, a Hills score of 76 and a strong TT score of 74 that could prove useful if the stage comes down to a small group. He lacks standout recent hilly-race results but his overall quality warrants inclusion as a one-to-watch.
Lidl-Trek
Lidl-Trek
Tao Geoghegan Hart holds a Climbing stat of 76 — second only to Rodríguez in the field — and his Lidl-Trek team is well-represented, providing tactical options. His Hills rating of 74 and Grand Tour pedigree make him a rider to monitor on the Gamlitz finale.
Verdict
Benoît Cosnefroy is the clear favourite, backed by the best recent form record in the field and a top Hills rating. Andrea Bagioli and Igor Arrieta are the most likely to challenge him, with Carlos Rodríguez and Jan Christen lurking as dangerous dark horses.