SUPER 8 Classic 2026 preview: route, startlist, and favorites

SUPER 8 Classic 2026 has built an impressive winners list in a short time. Mathieu van der Poel (2023), Filippo Baroncini (2024), and Arnaud De Lie (2025) all won by controlling the final phase and delivering a decisive acceleration rather than sitting in and sprinting.

The Boortmeerbeek terrain does not have a defining climb, but the repeated accelerations and positioning battles in the final hour create enough selection that pure bunch sprinters rarely win. The race rewards riders who can read when the buildup is about to break and position themselves for the moment the race turns decisive.

De Lie returns as the marked man, but the depth of the Belgian peloton in September means there are always riders with the legs and motivation to challenge.