How Euskaltel secured a Grand Tour wild card for 2027 with a global chase for UCI ranking points
Basque team pulled off a 'miracle' after signing Mikel Landa. They raced wherever they could to snatch a place in the top 30 teams in the final two weeks of 2026.
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Euskaltel Euskadi jumped past their ProTeam rivals in the final two weeks of the 2026 season to finish in the top 30 of the UCI rankings to ensure they are eligible for Grand Tour wild cards in 2027.
The Basque team moved past Bardiani CSF 7 Saber and MBH Bank CSB Telecom Fort after strategically targeting ranking points and racing around the world in the final months of the season.
They placed three riders in the top five at the Gran Prix de Chiriquí in Panama and secured their place in the top 30 with other final points hauls, racing hard to the very end of the season.
Euskaltel finished 28th in the official 2026 UCI team ranking and can now hope to ride the Vuelta a España next season, with new signing Mikel Landa as team leader.
"It's a miracle," sports director Pablo Urtasun told AS. "At one point we were almost 500 points behind. It seemed impossible but little by little we started to gain points."
Landa signed a contract in the summer and that inspired the team. The sports directors came up with a cunning plan to chase every possible ranking point, travelling around the world, their plans often coming together at the last minute.
“In the summer, the directors met for a day and we said: 'The only way to break into the top 30 is to add more races." Urtasun said.
"We looked at the international calendar and saw what was available. We had already committed to racing in Hong Kong, then we saw we could go to places like Algeria and Panama. At first, it seemed crazy, but it was the only thing we could do.
"In Algeria we earned more than 200 points and we also picked up points in the final classics in France. Our enthusiasm was through the roof, and from Hong Kong, we went straight to Panama.
"Some people are saying we were sneaking into the races to avoid giving anything away. The truth is, we did everything at the last minute. We got our visas for Algeria the same day we flew.
"Our main rival, Bardiani, couldn't have imagined anything like this. It was almost impossible for us, and the satisfaction of achieving it was amazing."
Landa turns 37 in December but seems to be rejuvenated by his move to Euskaltel and a final chance to ride a Grand Tour. He went deep to win the final mountain stage of the Vuelta and that victory could seal the deal to see the Basque team back at the Spanish Grand Tour. There has even been suggestions that Euskaltel has a chance for a Tour de France wild card.
“The truth is, without signing Mikel, I don't think we would have made this effort," Urtasun told AS.
"The budget is limited but Mikel brings visibility and great results, which can change a lot of things. Achieving a victory at the Vuelta, like the one he won this year on the queen stage, could be a turning point for us.
