Former Luxembourg professional Tim Diederich claimed the men’s gran fondo title at the 2026 UCI Schleck Gran Fondo, crossing the line in 04:04:06 to win the 164 km World Championship qualifier held on the roads of Luxembourg’s Moselle region.
The 36-year-old, a former national championship podium finisher who raced professionally through 2024, delivered a commanding performance on roads he knows intimately, ending Belgian dominance in a race Belgian riders swept in 2025.
Nicolas Baïolet — a Belgian former professional who won this race in 2024 — gave chase but finished 2 minutes 24 seconds behind.
Guillaume Seye took third at 2 minutes 56 seconds back, while four riders — Cedric Raymackers, Andreas Derweduwen, Niels Merckx, and Koen Hendrickx — all clocked 04:07:05 in a tight battle for the remaining placings.
In the women’s gran fondo, Belgian rider Morgane De Halleux (Lead Out Cycling Academy) took top honours in 04:35:27, finishing more than 27 minutes ahead of Dutch rider Roos Aarts, with Emilie Rigot rounding out the podium.
The medio fondo (82 km) delivered its own drama. German rider Thijs Koenig of SaF Zéisseng won the men’s race in 02:07:32, out-sprinting Luxembourg’s Nic Zeimet (South Luxembourg Cycling Club) on the line. Belgian Rik Vandeurzen took third, 11 seconds back. Belgian rider Lieselotte Van Nuffelen won the women’s medio fondo in 02:14:06.
Founded by Fränk Schleck following his professional retirement, the event has grown into one of Europe’s most popular mass-participation cycling events. With 6,025 registered riders, the 2026 edition sold out months in advance. Riders finishing in the top 25% of their UCI age and gender categories earned qualification for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships taking place in Japan in August.
Schleck Gran Fondo results HERE
Photo Credit: Fabrice Riviere
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