Five contenders for the points classification at the 2026 Vuelta a España

With the 2026 route offering relatively few straightforward sprint opportunities and plenty of demanding terrain, the battle for the green jersey could suit versatile riders as much as the fastest men in the bunch.

Here are five riders who could be in contention.

Few riders are better equipped for a Vuelta points campaign than Mads Pedersen.

The Dane arrives as the defending green jersey winner, having also won the classification in 2022. He has just completed the 2026 Tour de France with another points jersey, becoming only the sixth rider in history to win the classification at all three Grand Tours.

Pedersen has said that stage victories, rather than points jerseys, are now his main target. In practice, the two ambitions are difficult to separate.

His combination of sprint speed, climbing resilience and willingness to contest intermediate sprints means he can score on a wider range of stages than almost any traditional sprinter. Even without making green a primary objective, he is likely to find himself near the top of the standings.

Pedersen currently has 12 Grand Tour stage victories and needs three more to reach his stated target of 15 before retirement.

Wout van Aert returns to the Vuelta for only the second time, two years after a debut that showed just how well the race suits him.

In 2024, the Belgian won three stages, including two bunch sprints and a breakaway victory from Ponteareas to Baiona on stage 10. He also spent time in the red jersey before his race ended prematurely.

This time, Van Aert has made the green jersey and stage victories explicit targets.

His versatility gives him opportunities almost everywhere. He can challenge in conventional sprints, survive hilly stages and finish from reduced groups, while also collecting points from intermediate sprints on harder days.

Victory at the Tour of Denmark in early August provided the final preparation for his Vuelta campaign.

If both riders remain in contention deep into the race, the battle between Van Aert and Pedersen could become one of the defining subplots of the 2026 Vuelta.

Matthew Brennan enters his first Grand Tour with considerably more expectation than most debutants.

The 21-year-old Briton has continued his rapid rise in 2026, most recently underlining his form with two sprint victories at the Vuelta a Burgos in early August. Those wins added to an already impressive collection across the 2025 and 2026 seasons.

Like Van Aert and Pedersen, Brennan offers more than outright sprint speed. He can negotiate difficult terrain and remains dangerous when a selective race leaves only a reduced group to contest the finish.

At Visma, however, his role adds another layer of intrigue.

Van Aert remains the team's leading option, but Brennan gives Visma a second card for both conventional sprints and more demanding finales. How the team divides those opportunities could have a significant influence on Brennan's own points challenge.

His ability to maintain that level across three weeks remains the major unknown, but his form suggests he has the tools to become a factor.

Axel Laurance is the outsider who could benefit most from the route of this Vuelta.

The 25-year-old Frenchman has developed into one of the peloton's strongest finishers when races become too demanding for the pure sprinters. His 2026 season has reinforced that reputation, with a stage victory at Itzulia Basque Country, overall success at Settimana Coppi e Bartali and several podium finishes at the Volta a Catalunya.

That profile fits the Vuelta particularly well.

With Carlos Rodríguez expected to lead Netcompany Ineos in the general classification, Laurance should have room to pursue stage opportunities. If he can score consistently on the many selective days, he could emerge as a genuine outsider for green.

Tadej Pogačar is the unconventional choice, but perhaps not as unlikely as it first appears.

The Slovenian starts the Vuelta as the overwhelming favourite for the general classification after winning the 2026 Tour de France. His attempt to complete his set of Grand Tour victories means stage wins and aggressive racing are likely to be central to his campaign from the opening week.

That also creates a pathway towards the points jersey.

Pogačar can collect heavily on summit finishes, uphill finales and any stage where the general classification contenders are also fighting for victory. At the 2026 Tour, he took yellow as early as stage 3 in Les Angles, another example of how quickly his stage winning ability can translate into control of multiple classifications.

On a Vuelta route with numerous summit finishes and relatively few opportunities for pure sprinters, the usual balance of the points competition changes.

Pogačar would not need to chase every intermediate sprint to become a factor. If he wins often enough, the points could accumulate naturally alongside his general classification campaign.

A green jersey for the overall winner would be unconventional, but on this route, it is entirely plausible.

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