The 2026 European 10,000m Cup takes place in La Spezia, Italy on 23 May and despite the late withdrawal of Yemaneberhan Crippa, the Italians will still be optimistic of individual and team success with European marathon champion Iliass Aouani in their ranks.
As well as individual and team medals on offer, another target for some of the 54 entrants in the men's race will be the 10,000m qualifying time of 27:50 for the Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships from 10-16 August.
The European 10,000m Cup will be streamed live without any geoblocking restrictions on the European Athletics YouTube channel from 5.05pm CEST.
In brief
- Iliass Aouani leads the Italian team's prospects with Yemaneberhan Crippa a late withdrawal
- Italy and last year’s winners France are expected to battle it out for the team title
- A new winner will emerge with last year’s champion Efrem Gidey from Ireland not competing and Crippa also absent
Five to watch
- Iliass Aouani (ITA)
- Valentin Gondouin (FRA)
- Simon Bedard (FRA)
- Robin Hendrix (BEL)
- Eduardo Menacho (ESP)
The men’s race at the European 10,000m Cup has been thrown wide open with 2022 European champion Yemaneberhan Crippa, who was seeking a record-equalling third title in this competition, a late withdrawal from the Italian ranks.
Crippa was embarking on an ambitious turnaround having won the Paris Marathon only six weeks ago in 2:05:18 but the 29-year-old has cited muscle soreness following a recent training session in track spikes for his absence.
"After a long time spent preparing on the road, I returned to training with spikes in preparation for the race, and in the last session I suffered muscle fatigue. My coaches and I have chosen to take a precautionary break, also to ensure I can meet my commitments this season," said Crippa, the winner of the European 10,000m Cup title in both 2019 and 2023.
With Crippa absent, the Italian team will be fronted by the fastest Italian marathon runner in history: Iliass Aouani, the reigning European marathon champion. Aouani regained the national record with a 2:04:26 clocking in the Tokyo Marathon in March, the same city in which he won a bronze medal at the 2025 World Athletics Championships.
Aouani might not be as renowned as Crippa for his track exploits but he does have a respectable 10,000m lifetime best of 27:45.81 which dates back to 2021. His last track races dates back to 2023 although there are suggestions in the Italian distance running community that Aouani might opt for the 10,000m instead of the marathon at the 2026 European Athletics Championships.
Italy has won the men’s team title five times and their second counter is likely to be 2023 European U23 10,000m silver medallist Francesco Guerra who finished eighth last year. He has a relatively modest lifetime best of 28:22.07 but the 24-year-old, who recently won the Italian 10,000m title, has run much faster on the roads with a 27:39 PB for 10km.
No Gressier but Gondouin leads a strong French team
Jimmy Gressier, who was named on the initial French team last month, has elected not to compete at the European 10,000m Cup having secured the qualifying time for Birmingham 2026 at the French 10km Championships with a 27:47 clocking earlier this month.
However, France will still be sending a team filled with depth and talent, including Valentin Gondouin who finished second behind Ireland’s Efrem Gidey last year and led Les Bleus to the team title. And with Crippa a late withdrawal, this could be Gondouin's moment to complete the medal set.
As well as winning silver at the European 10,000m Cup last year, Gondouin also won bronze behind Gressier in the half marathon at the 2025 European Running Championships in Brussels-Leuven, incidentally outpacing Gidey in the latter stages for a place on the podium.
The team also features Simon Bedard, who is the fastest athlete on the entry-list based on season’s bests with 27:42.72. He was also part of France’s gold medal-winning team at the 2025 European 10,000m Cup in Pacé last year. Their team is completed by fellow long-time internationals Bastien Augusto, a 27:30 performer for 10km on the roads, and 2018 European U18 2000m steeplechase champion Baptiste Guyon.
With 10 titles in event history, Spain is the most successful nation in the team competition at the European 10,000m Cup. Their team includes recently crowned Spanish champion Eduardo Menacho, also the 2021 European U23 champion at the distance, and veteran Juan Antonio Perez, a member of Spain’s gold medal-winning teams in 2017 and 2018.
Other possible contenders in the context of the individual race include the Belgian duo of Simon Debognies, who finished fourth last year in a lifetime best of 27:48.40 PB, and former European cross country bronze medallist Robin Hendrix (28:01.65 PB) and Portugal’s Samuel Barata (27:48.62 PB).
