2026 Vuelta a España team by team guide: Riders, leaders and objectives for every team

UAE Team Emirates-XRG will be led by the overwhelming favourite for victory, Tadej Pogačar. The world champion returns to the Vuelta for the first time since 2019, fresh off securing a record-equalling fifth Tour de France triumph in July. 

Pogačar was operating in a league of his own in France, and is expected to do so once more in Spain, as he looks to become the ninth male rider to win all three Grand Tours. 

“I’m excited to say I’m going back to La Vuelta. It was my first ever Grand Tour back in 2019 and an amazing experience. Spain is a country I love to visit and race in and I think the time is right to go back," said Pogačar.

The motivation is high to finish off the year in a good way and the Vuelta will be a big target. The team is strong and we hope to do good things.”

He will be supported in his quest for victory by last year’s runner-up and stage winner on the Angliru, João Almeida. The Portuguese rider endured a difficult campaign after illness ruled him out of leading UAE at the Giro d’Italia in May. 

One rider who did take to the start of the Giro was Jay Vine, though the Australian was forced out of the race after crashing on stage 2. Vine claimed two individual stage wins and the mountains classification at last year’s Vuelta. 

Pavel Sivakov, Pablo Torres, Kevin Vermaerke, Ivo Oliveira and Domen Novak round out a strong UAE squad that could well match the seven stage wins the Emirati team picked up in the 2025 edition.

Alpecin-Premier Tech will head to La Vuelta with a squad geared towards stage victories, with Kaden Groves leading the team on the faster days. The Australian has endured a difficult 2026 season, but his record in Spain remains impressive, with seven Vuelta stage wins and two points classifications already on his palmares.

Francesco Busatto and Gal Glivar give the team additional options when the finales become more demanding. Both can contest reduced sprints and could also feature on the many stages where an early move has a realistic chance of staying away.

On harder terrain, Hugo Houle and Ramses Debruyne are among the riders likely to look for opportunities from breakaways, while Michael Gogl adds experience and versatility across a variety of profiles.

Lindsay De Vylder and Sente Sentjens complete the eight rider selection and are expected to play an important role around Groves on the flatter stages.

Bahrain Victorious will head to La Vuelta with Santiago Buitrago leading its general classification challenge. The Colombian will target a strong overall result while the team also looks for stage victories across the three weeks.

Pello Bilbao will start his final Vuelta and the last Grand Tour of his career, bringing experience to a young Bahrain squad while still looking for a stage win himself. Jakob Omrzel and Attila Valter will support Buitrago in the mountains, with Roman Ermakov and Pau Miquel also given room to chase opportunities during the race.

Matevž Govekar will be the team’s main option on the faster days, with Mathijs Paasschens expected to play an important support role on flatter and more exposed stages.

Sports director Franco Pellizotti: “Santi will be our GC leader, but of course we are not only thinking about the general classification. We also want to fight for stage victories.”

Decathlon CMA CGM will head to La Vuelta with Felix Gall targeting the general classification and a place on the final podium. The Austrian arrives after finishing second at the Giro d’Italia earlier this season and winning the Vuelta a Burgos in his final preparation race, giving the team confidence ahead of his second Grand Tour of the year.

Gall will be surrounded by a squad built largely for the mountains. Matthew Riccitello, fifth overall and winner of the young rider classification at the 2025 Vuelta, adds another strong climbing option, while Léo Bisiaux, Gregor Mühlberger, Jordan Labrosse, Callum Scotson and Sander De Pestel will combine support duties with opportunities to target stages from breakaways.

Oscar Chamberlain completes the selection and will make his Grand Tour debut. The 21-year-old Australian will focus on supporting Gall while gaining his first experience of racing across three weeks.

Sports director Cyril Dessel: “We are starting this Vuelta with podium ambitions for Felix Gall. To me, it is a perfectly balanced and united team to support Felix toward this podium.”

EF Education-EasyPost will head to La Vuelta with Richard Carapaz targeting the general classification podium. The Ecuadorian arrives with strong momentum after a standout Tour de France, where he won two stages, claimed the mountains classification and received the overall combativity award.

Carapaz will be supported in the mountains by Markel Beloki and Georg Steinhauser, while James Shaw and Darren Rafferty provide further options on the harder stages. Vincenzo Albanese and Alastair MacKellar will have important roles protecting their leader on flatter terrain and positioning him before the decisive climbs.

Juan Felipe Rodriguez completes the squad after stepping up from EF Education-Aevolo. The Colombian will make his Grand Tour debut and is expected to support Carapaz deep into the tougher stages as EF commits fully to its GC challenge.

Carapaz: “We're aiming for the general classification. This is important to me because it's a different approach compared to the Tour.”

Groupama-FDJ United will take an all French line up to La Vuelta, with the team leaning on experience and riders suited to aggressive racing.

Valentin Madouas and Guillaume Martin Guyonnet headline the selection, while Clément Berthet and Rémy Rochas offer options in the mountains. Rudy Molard and Olivier Le Gac bring plenty of Grand Tour experience, with Enzo Paleni and Bastien Tronchon completing the squad.

Netcompany-Ineos will head to La Vuelta with Oscar Onley leading a versatile eight rider squad. The 23-year-old Scot will take on Grand Tour leadership for the first time after returning to form with victory at the Vuelta a Burgos.

Carlos Rodríguez and former Vuelta podium finisher Jack Haig strengthen the team in the mountains, with Lucas Hamilton and Embret Svestad-Bårdseng adding further climbing support. Axel Laurance and Ben Turner give INEOS options on hillier and faster stages.

Joshua Tarling completes the selection and will be one of the riders to watch in the two individual time trials. The British time trial specialist returns to the Vuelta after making his debut in 2024. His participation comes just days after the tragic death of his younger brother Finlay, who died aged 19 following a collision with a vehicle during the Volta a Portugal. Netcompany-Ineos have said they fully support Tarling’s decision to take part in the race.

Director of Racing Geraint Thomas: “This is Oscar's first Grand Tour riding for us and he is ambitious, excited and wants to get racing. We know what he is capable of so we are giving him the freedom to just go and race.”

Lidl-Trek will head to La Vuelta with Mattias Skjelmose leading its general classification ambitions after finishing sixth overall at the Tour de France. The Dane will look to make use of his climbing and time trialling abilities across a route featuring seven summit finishes and more than 58,000 metres of elevation gain.

Mads Pedersen gives the team a major option for stage victories after winning a stage and the green jersey at the Tour. He will target the faster and punchier finishes, while Thibau Nys adds another threat on selective stages despite a disrupted preparation ahead of the race.

Lennard Kämna and Patrick Konrad will provide important support in the mountains, with Julien Bernard bringing further Grand Tour experience. Jacopo Mosca and Mathias Norsgaard complete a versatile squad that will combine support duties with opportunities to race for their own results when the situation allows.

Sports director Maxime Monfort: “Skjelly [Skjelmose] is the GC leader. We can dream big. Mads will target stage wins, while Thibau can be a game changer in stage hunting and can help the team in general.”

Lotto-Intermarché will head to La Vuelta with a young and ambitious squad focused on stage wins and the development of its emerging talents. 20-year-old Jarno Widar will make his Grand Tour debut as team leader, with the Belgian set to test himself across three weeks of racing for the first time.

Widar will have Lars Craps, Lorenzo Rota, Luca Van Boven, Reuben Thompson and Roel van Sintmaartensdijk alongside him on the tougher terrain. While supporting their leader, they will also have opportunities to join breakaways and chase stage success when the race situation allows.

For the sprint stages, Lotto-Intermarché will rely on Steffen De Schuyteneer and Vito Braet. De Schuyteneer will also make his Grand Tour debut, with the team looking to make the most of the limited opportunities for the fast men.

Sports director Mario Aerts: “The most important thing is that he gains experience, without pressure. We will take the Vuelta day by day and see where that takes us.”

Movistar will head to La Vuelta with Enric Mas and Cian Uijtdebroeks sharing leadership duties for the general classification. Mas has finished on the Vuelta podium four times, while Uijtdebroeks returns to the race where he finished eighth on his Grand Tour debut in 2023.

Orluis Aular will provide the team with an option for the faster finishes, particularly on stages where the terrain makes life difficult for the pure sprinters. Pablo Castrillo, a two time Vuelta stage winner in 2024, and Raúl García Pierna give Movistar further options for breakaways and stage victories.

Iván Romeo will make his Vuelta debut and could target both time trials and selective stages, while Carlos Canal and Jorge Arcas complete the eight rider squad. Nairo Quintana is the notable omission, with the 2016 Vuelta winner not selected for what will be his final season as a professional.

NSN Cycling Team will head to La Vuelta with stage victories as its main objective, taking a mix of experienced Grand Tour riders and young talent to the start in Monaco. Hugo Hofstetter will be the main option for the faster finishes, while the team plans to target breakaways throughout the three weeks.

George Bennett, Jan Hirt, Alexey Lutsenko and Nick Schultz bring plenty of experience and give NSN several options on the harder days. Pau Martí will look for opportunities on the medium mountain stages, particularly when the race reaches roads close to his home in Spain.

Moritz Kretschy, Martí and Floris Van Tricht will all make their Grand Tour debuts after progressing through the team’s development programme.

Sports director Pat McCarty: “We want to win a stage and be present on or near the podium in stages across each of the three weeks.”

Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe will start La Vuelta with ambitions for both stage victories and the general classification. Four time Vuelta winner Primož Roglič will lead the team, although his GC prospects will be assessed progressively after a crash disrupted his preparation for the race.

Jordi Meeus will target the sprint opportunities, while Finn Fisher Black will look for stage wins from breakaways, reduced groups and selective finishes. The team also brings Gianni Moscon, Gianni Vermeersch and Frederik Wandahl to provide experience and tactical options across different terrain.

Luke Tuckwell and Callum Thornley will both make their Grand Tour debuts, with the pair combining support duties with opportunities to gain experience and join breakaways when the race situation allows.

Sports director Sven Vanthourenhout: “Our main goal is to win a stage, and hopefully more than one if the opportunities are there. Our second major objective is the GC with Primož.”

Soudal Quick-Step will start La Vuelta with Mikel Landa as its most experienced option in the mountains, while stage wins are the main target across the three weeks. The Spaniard is set for his tenth appearance at the race and will be joined by several riders capable of taking chances on the many climbing days.

Valentin Paret-Peintre, Steff Cras, Filippo Zana and Gianmarco Garofoli give the team plenty of options when the road rises. Alberto Dainese will target the bunch sprints, with Fabio Van den Bossche expected to play an important role on the faster stages.

British time trial champion Ethan Hayter adds another option across varied terrain and will also have two individual time trials to target.

Sports director Sep Vanmarcke: “We are determined to fight for stage victories and continue our streak of Grand Tour stage wins. We can be in the mix on almost all terrains and that gives us a lot of confidence.”

In what will be just his second Grand Tour, Paul Double is set to spearhead a youthful Jayco AlUla squad focused on hunting stage victories. The 30-year-old British climber, who made his Grand Tour debut at the 2025 Giro d'Italia, will lead the Australian team’s ambitions on the back of a strong season, which includes fifth-place finishes at both the Tour of Oman and the Tour of Austria.

“I’m very much looking forward to lining up at La Vuelta with GreenEDGE. It will be my second Grand Tour, and hopefully with everything learnt last year I can have more success,” said Double.

“I’ve been re-finding my legs in the last few races, so I’m hoping to capitalise wherever opportunities reveal themselves. For sure it’ll be a tough few weeks ahead, but I’m looking forward to racing in Spain, also a chance to brush up on my Spanish which is quickly becoming rusty.”

Double's compatriot, Finlay Pickering, joins the squad after impressing on his Grand Tour debut at last year's Vuelta while riding for Bahrain-Victorious. This time around, he aims to make an even greater impact. Rounding out the youthful core, Asbjørn Hellemose, Hamish McKenzie, and Rudy Porter are all set to embark on their debut Grand Tours.

Meanwhile, former KOM and two-time Giro d’Italia stage winner Koen Bouwman holds the most Grand Tour experience with 12 starts, including 4 at the Vuelta. The Dutchman is joined in the experience department by Jasha Sütterlin and Alessandro Covi, with the latter two both riding their first Grand Tour in the purple colours of Jayco. 

Picnic PostNL brings a youthful team featuring three Grand Tour debutants. 

Chris Hamilton is by far and away the most experienced member of the squad when it comes to three-week adventures. The 31-year-old Australian has started 15 Grand Tours, including five editions of the Vuelta, achieving two third-place stage finishes in 2021 and 2023. 

The rider with the next highest number of Grand Tour starts is Gijs Leemreize with six. Like Hamilton, the 26-year-old Dutch rider has previously knocked on the door of a stage win, with two sixth-place stage finishes in 2024 from breakaways, but has been unable thus far to unlock the winning formula

21-year-old Colombian climber Juan Guillermo Martinez made his Grand Tour debut at the Vuelta last season, and could be a rider who makes a leap up in this year’s edition. 

This will also mark the second Grand Tour of Timo De Jong’s career. The 27-year-old Dutchman started the Giro d’Italia in May, but was forced to abandon on stage 5.

Meanwhile, Mattia Gaffuri, Henri-François Haquin and Oliver Peace will line up for their Grand Tour debuts. 

Visma | Lease a Bike will start La Vuelta with a versatile squad built around Wout van Aert and Matthew Brennan, with stage victories the main focus across the three weeks. Van Aert will have opportunities across several types of terrain, beginning with the opening time trial in Monaco, where he will target both the stage win and the first red jersey.

Brennan will make his Grand Tour debut and gives Visma a strong option in the bunch sprints, while Christophe Laporte adds another fast finisher for flatter and more selective stages. In the mountains, former Vuelta winner Sepp Kuss will provide experience and climbing strength, with Ben Tulett and Jørgen Nordhagen also expected to have opportunities when the road rises.

Nordhagen will join Brennan in making his Grand Tour debut, while Steven Kruijswijk brings extensive experience in the 24th and final Grand Tour of his career. Bruno Armirail completes a squad with options across almost every terrain.

Uno-X Mobility will make its Vuelta a España debut with stage victories as the clear priority. The Norwegian team plans to race aggressively throughout the three weeks, with a squad built around breakaways and opportunities on the harder days.

Tobias Halland Johannessen gives the team its strongest option in the mountains, with the possibility of a general classification result also kept open during the opening week. Andreas Leknessund, Andreas Kron, Simon Dalby and Martin Tjøtta provide further options when the road rises and will look to target stages from breakaways.

Magnus Cort brings extensive Grand Tour experience and will be one of Uno-X's key stage hunters in what will be one of the final Grand Tours of his career. Fredrik Dversnes Lavik and Rasmus Tiller add further strength for breakaways, while Tiller could also contest some of the flatter finishes.

Sports director Leonard Snoeks: “We have won a stage in the Giro and in the Tour, and there is no reason why we should not be able to do it here as well. I also see no reason why we cannot win two.”

XDS Astana’s team looks built for stage hunting, with plenty of accomplished climbers. Lorenzo Fortunato didn’t line up at the Giro d’Italia to defend his KOM title, focusing instead on making his third appearance at the Vuelta.

Harold Tejada is enjoying arguably the best season of his career. The 29-year-old won a stage of Paris-Nice in March before losing a two-up sprint against Mauro Schmid for a breakaway victory on stage 13 of the Tour de France.

The Colombian also flew under the radar to finish 12th overall last season at the Vuelta and should be one to watch in terms of landing a maiden Grand Tour stage win. Cristián Rodríguez is also another capable climber, having finished 13th at the Vuelta in 2023 and 2024.

The line-up also includes Victor Langellotti, who made a mid-season switch with immediate effect from Netcompany-Ineos. The Monegasque champion made his debut with the team at the Tour de Pologne.

The squad is rounded out by Yevgeniy Fedorov, Henok Mulubrhan, Alessandro Romele and Darren Van Bekkum.

Tudor Pro Cycling will make its Vuelta a España debut with a versatile squad combining experienced Grand Tour riders with several newcomers. The Swiss team will target opportunities across the mountains, time trials and breakaway stages during its first appearance at the Spanish Grand Tour.

Marco Brenner and Will Barta will lead the team on the decisive climbing stages, while Stefan Küng and Arthur Kluckers will focus on the two individual time trials. Küng will also have the freedom to target breakaways throughout the race.

Roland Thalmann, Fabian Weiss and Hannes Wilksch will make their Grand Tour debuts, while Larry Warbasse brings considerable experience in his 14th Grand Tour and will act as road captain for the young squad.

Cofidis will head to La Vuelta with an experienced squad aiming to make an impact across a wide range of terrain. The French ProTeam will target a stage victory during the 21 stages between Monaco and Granada.

Bryan Coquard will be one of the team’s main options, with opportunities expected in both bunch sprints and more selective finishes. The Frenchman has already claimed two victories this season and will be supported by Alexis Renard, Alex Kirsch and Paul Ourselin in the fast finales.

When the road heads uphill, Cofidis will look to Emanuel Buchmann, Sylvain Moniquet, Louis Rouland and Sergio Samitier. The quartet will target breakaways and look for opportunities to fight for stage wins in the mountains.

Pinarello-Q36.5 will start La Vuelta with stage wins as its main objective, giving its riders the freedom to race aggressively without building the three weeks around a general classification challenge.

Eddie Dunbar, Thomas Gloag, Milan Vader, Walter Calzoni and Xabier Mikel Azparren give the team several options on the harder days, while Spanish champion Marcel Camprubí will look to make his mark on home roads. David Gonzalez provides an option for the faster finishes.

David de la Cruz brings experience to the squad as he prepares for the 20th Grand Tour of his career. The Spaniard will be an important presence in a group that also includes several riders still developing at this level.

Sports director Alex Sans Vega: “For us, the main goal is stage hunting. We want to win a stage, be visible and be part of the race on as many days as possible.”

Burgos Burpellet BH will line up at La Vuelta for the eighth time, with the Spanish ProTeam targeting an elusive stage victory across the three weeks of racing. The team will bring a versatile eight-man squad to the start in Monaco.

Three-time Vuelta stage winner Jesús Herrada leads the line-up and will be the team’s main option in the mountains. The former Spanish champion is set for his eighth appearance at the race and will be looking for his first Vuelta victory in Burgos colours.

José Manuel Díaz returns for a third appearance, while Guatemalan national champion Sergio Chumil, Mario Aparicio, José Luis Faura and breakaway specialist Sinuhé Fernández add further climbing strength.

Frenchman Clément Alleno and 22-year-old Mexican sprinter César Macías will both make their Grand Tour debuts, with Macías expected to target the bunch finishes.

Equipo Kern Pharma will return to the Vuelta after a year’s absence and what was a momentous occasion. The Spanish ProTeam claimed three stage victories across the 21 stages in the 2024 edition thanks to Pablo Castrillo (2) and Urko Berrade (1).

While Castrillo moved onto pastures new, Berrade remains with Kern Pharma, and the 28-year-old makes up part of a team that will be looking to cause another upset with a stage win. 

Two-time Vuelta a Burgos winner and former Ineos and Movistar rider Iván Ramiro Sosa has ridden the most Grand Tours (3) out of the eight-man squad. The Colombian climber finished runner-up at the Presidential Tour of Türkiye in May. 

Meanwhile, 23-year-old Mats Wenzel is the only other non-Spanish rider in the line-up, with the 23-year-old Luxembourg rider set for his Grand Tour debut.