The 2026 edition of the UCI Artistic Cycling World Cup is almost upon us. Looking at the start list for the opening round in Nesvady, Slovakia (21 February), the line-up promises fresh faces, an impressive array of talent, and one major surprise…
Single Men: a surprise star returns
In the Single Men category, one name stands out: Hungarian Martin Schön is making his return to the international stage after a two-year hiatus. Following the 2023 UCI World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland (Great Britain) the multiple National Champion retired from competition and has since served as Hungary’s national coach.
The UCI World Cup opener comes tantalisingly close to home for him: just 60km and the River Danube lie between his hometown and Nesvady, Slovakia. Likewise, Vác in Hungary, host of the second round, is also nearby, at roughly 130km. It remains unclear, however, whether Schön is making a one-off appearance or intends to compete for the full season.
Despite his two-year break from competition and a noticeably simplified routine, the Hungarian remains ranked among the top five on the start list. Yet standing on the podium will be a big ask for both Schön and his fellow Hungarian, 2025 UCI Indoor Cycling World Championships bronze medallist Csaba Varga. The reason is clear: the 2026 UCI World Cup season looks set to be dominated by a trio of German riders.
Topping the favourites is UCI World Champion and reigning UCI World Cup winner Philipp-Thies Rapp (RSV Tailfingen). Close behind is Jonas Beiter (RV Trillfingen), who finished second in the 2025 UCI World Cup. Making his UCI World Cup debut, 2025 UCI World Championships silver medallist Linus Weber (SV Kirchdorf) will be aiming to put his two compatriots under pressure.
Single Women: Pfann taking the risk
In the Single Women category, three German riders lead the field, with reigning UCI World Champion Jana Pfann (RKB Solidarity Bruckmühl) seeded at the top. She is taking the greatest risk, entering the competition with a starting value of 202.7 points. Last year demonstrated just how tight the women’s field is: Pfann finished only fourth overall in the 2025 UCI World Cup rankings.
Just behind Pfann is 2024 UCI World Champion and 2025 UCI World Cup winner Lara Füller (RKV Poppenweiler), with a starting value of 199.1 points. Close behind her is Ramona Dandl (Bruckmühl), the 2023 UCI World Champion and last year’s UCI World Cup runner-up, who enters with 198.4 points.
The Swiss rider Alessa Hotz (Kunstrad Baar) will be aiming to break into this leading group. The 2025 UCI World Championships runner-up, who finished third in the 2025 UCI Artistic Cycling World Cup, enters with a starting value of 193.5 points.
ACT4: two newcomer quartets
The ACT4 category will see a double debut this season. The women’s quartet from RV “Vorwärts” Neuenkirchen (GER) will compete in their first UCI Artistic Cycling World Cup. The three sisters Lea, Lina and Jessica Mollzahn, together with Isabella Wehrenberg, are set to showcase a new, highly complex figure that was only approved at the start of the year. This pushes the starting value of the quartet from near Bremen to 247.9 points, immediately placing them in pole position.
Close behind them are Germans Nadine Jenchen, Hannah Schulze, Anna Kathleen Buchwald and Charlott Boden from RfV 1900 e.V. Wiednitz. The quartet, who finished third overall in 2024, will begin their third UCI World Cup season with a starting value of 243.5 points.
The newly formed quartet from Uzwil (SUI) follows from a distance. Reigning UCI World Champions Valerie Untermährer and Selina Niedermann are joined by Geraldine Untermährer and Rhea Martinez, starting the season with a value of 229 points.
The 2025 UCI World Cup winners and UCI World Championship silver medallists, Tijem Karata, Milena Schwarz, Stella Rosenbach and Annika Rosenbach (RV Mainz-Ebersheim, GER), are not expected to compete in Slovakia and will join the UCI World Cup circuit at a later stage.
Pairs: Czech and Slovak challengers take on the Germans
The starting fields in the two pairs categories are clear. In the women’s event, three German couples go head-to-head with a team from Czechia, while in the Open class, three German pairs will face a team from Slovakia.
Following the retirement of Henny Kirst and Antonia Bärk (Bonn-Duisdorf, GER), Kim Schlüter and Neele Jodeleit (RSV Knetterheide, GER) assume the favourite spot in the Pairs Women category, entering with a starting value of 138.9 points. UCI World Cup newcomers Lisa and Sara Knobelspies (RSV Volkertshausen, GER), at 117.2 points, and Katharina Hupfauer and Sabine Tausch (RSV Pullach, GER), at 116.9 points, are closely matched for second place. Locals Eszter Kulich and Dora Rakocza from the host club SKC Kolarovo, start as outsiders with a freestyle value of 103.5 points
Nico Rödiger and Lea-Victoria Styber (RSV Langenselbold, GER) are well acquainted with the role of favourites in the Pairs Open. The two-time UCI World Champions have remained unbeaten in the UCI Artistic Cycling World Cup since 2023 and are aiming for a fourth consecutive overall victory, entering with a freestyle value of 168.7 points.
They will need to perform flawlessly, as the two German pairs - Jonas Mächtig and Simon Riedinger (RKV Ilsfeld, 154.3 points) and UCI World Cup newcomers Emily Brenner and Markus Wechner (RSV Schleissheim, 153.3 points) - are hot on their heels.
The Czech pair Pavel Šin and Vojtěch Blazek (SKP Kometa Brno, 94.6 points) are outsiders, while Germans Niklas Kreuzmann and Celine Stapf (RV Soden), multiple UCI World Championships medallists, are absent from the opening round.
They are expected to return for the second round in Vác, Hungary, on 11 July. The third round will take place on 1 August in Rangendingen, Germany, with the final scheduled for 21 November in Dorlisheim, France.