Unpacking 2026 men's WorldTour national representation: Belgium leads, Scandinavia rises, France declines

The end of the 2023-2025 UCI WorldTour cycle, the collapse of a team, and a merger, all have had a big impact on the national representation in the peloton ahead of 2026

Though there are a final few spots in some teams still to be confirmed, there are currently 39 different nations that will be represented in the men's WorldTour peloton in 2026, the same amount as last season, though there have been some nation changes.

Surprisingly, despite the increased globalisation of the sport, this figure is currently the joint lowest, alongside the inaugural WorldTour season and 2025, though it could still change as a few teams have final roster spots to fill.

Here's a more detailed look at the statistics behind representation in the men's WorldTour peloton.

For the first time since 2022, Belgium will be the most represented nation in the men’s WorldTour next season. On that occasion, there were 66 Belgians in the top division of men’s cycling, and as it stands, that number is set to increase to 76 ahead of 2026, courtesy of stats from ProCyclingStats.

Belgium have been the second most represented nation in recent seasons behind France, but with factors including the demise of Arkèa-B&B Hotels, the French WorldTour representation has declined ahead of the new season.

Both Soudal-Quick Step and the newly merged Lotto Intermarché squad feature the most Belgians with 16 each, which is over half of their entire roster. 

In total, 15 of the 18 men’s WorldTour teams feature a Belgian rider next season, which helps illustrate why Belgium will be the most represented nation in 2026.

The most successful Belgian rider in the UCI rankings in 2025 was Remco Evenepoel, who ended in 6th. Tim Merlier was the most prolific winner, claiming 16 sprint victories, the 4th most of any male rider in 2025.

Courtesy of Uno-X Mobility earning a WorldTour license for 2026, there has been a significant influx of Danish and Norwegian riders to cycling’s premier division. 

Norway has seen the biggest increase in representation with 29 riders in total. This is 19 more riders in the WorldTour for 2026 than the 10 they had in 2025.

It’s the only nation that has seen a double-digit increase, with 19 more riders than in 2025 being in the WorldTour, leaving the final tally at 29. Tobias Holland Johannessen and Jonas Abrahamsen both enjoyed a stand-out Tour de France, finishing 6th and winning a stage, respectively. 

With the ever-increasing ambition and status of Uno-X Mobility, they will be hoping to expand even further on their recent exploits as Norwegian cycling continues to rise.

There will also be 7 more Danes in the men’s WorldTour next season, which is the second biggest increase of any nation. It’s safe to say that the success of Uno-X Mobility shows how Scandinavian riders are thriving right now on the main stage.

With the demise of Arkèa-B&B Hotels, France has seen the biggest decrease in representation. In 2025, France was the most represented nation in the men’s WorldTour with 81 riders. 

However, the drop-off heading into 2026 is like no other nation, with 26 fewer riders and a total of 55. Quantity over quality doesn't always equate to success, and vice versa. 

For France, the hope will be that a talented new generation of young riders can inspire one of the most successful periods of French cycling over recent decades and finally win a first Tour de France since Bernard Hinault in 1985.

Ten riders will line up as the only WorldTour representatives of their countries. Eight of these riders were already in the WorldTour, with two riders being new arrivals.

The first of these is Jakob Söderqvist, who makes the jump from the Lidl-Trek Future Racing development team to the WorldTour side. The 22-year-old powerhouse Swede is the current under-23 time trial champion and won the time trial at the PostNord Tour of Denmark in August, en route to finishing 2nd on GC behind team leader Mads Pedersen.

The second rider set to make his debut for a WorldTour side is the Uruguayan fast finisher, Guillermo Thomas Silva, who joined XDS Astana on a two-year deal. 

The 23-year-old has been with the Spanish ProTour team Caja Rural-Seguros RGA since 2023, and made his Grand Tour debut at the most recent Vuelta a España, where he finished in the top 10 in two sprints. By joining XDS Astana, Silva becomes a history maker as the first rider to ride for a men’s WorldTour team.

Of the eight other sole representatives, Mexican star Isaac del Toro is the most significant. Del Toro was one of the stars of 2025, with 18 victories, a tally only toppled by Paul Magnier (19), and his teammate, the world champion Tadej Pogačar, no less. 

‘El Torito’ almost became the first Mexican Grand Tour winner by finishing 2nd at the Giro d’Italia in May, and there’s plenty to suggest that it’s an accomplishment he’ll achieve by the end of his career. 

In 2026, the Mexican is set to make his debut at the Tour de France, where he will ride alongside Tadej Pogačar, who is on the verge of a record-equalling fifth yellow jersey.

As it stands, three nations are set to drop out of the WorldTour ahead of 2026.

Japan have been ever-present in the men’s WorldTour since its inception in 2009, with Fumiyuki Beppu and Yukira Arashiro doing much of the heavy lifting. In 2025, Yuhi Todome of EF Education-EasyPost was the sole Japanese representative in the men’s WorldTour.

However, Todome raced with EF for the final time on home soil at the Utsunomiya Japan Cup in October, where he finished 22nd overall. Next year, Todome will race for continental side Aisan Racing Team, meaning that, as it stands, 2026 will be the first year without a Japanese rider in the men’s WorldTour.

Ethiopia have also been a long-time represented nation in the men’s WorldTour over the last decade, primarily with Tsgabu Grmay, who joined Lampre-Merida in 2015. 

Grmay would eventually end up at Jayco AlUla, and in 2023, he was joined by Welay Hagos Berhe, marking the first time multiple Ethiopians had been at the WorldTour level. This would be Grmay’s final season at the WorldTour level before retiring at the start of 2024, leaving Berhe as the sole representative. 

However, as it stands, Berhe hasn’t got a contract for 2026, after his current deal with the Australian team expired, meaning that for the first time in over a decade, Ethiopia will not be represented in the men’s WorldTour peloton.

Finally, Sergio Tu of Taiwan, who has been with Bahrain-Victorious since 2023, will move to the Japanese continental team Astemo Utsunomiya Blitzen.