Van Aert leads ambitious Visma squad for Vuelta as Kuss takes on third Grand Tour of 2026

Christophe Laporte, Ben Tulett, Bruno Armirail and Grand Tour debutant Jørgen Nordhagen complete a team with options across almost every terrain.

For Van Aert, the first opportunity comes immediately.

The Vuelta starts on Saturday with a 9.4 kilometre individual time trial through Monaco, where the Belgian will have his eyes on both the stage victory and the first red jersey of the race.

“Taking the red leader's jersey during the opening weekend is on my mind,” Van Aert told Het Laatste Nieuws after the Belgian Gravel Championships. “Those corners certainly don't work against me, and in such a short effort, it often comes down to pure power.”

Van Aert has put extra time into his time trial bike in recent weeks, despite the discipline no longer being one of the central parts of his season.

“The days when I focused heavily on time trialling are behind me, but I have worked on it as much as possible over the past few weeks,” he said.

“I want to finish as high up as possible and then perhaps make a bid for the red jersey on the second stage.”

The Vuelta will be Van Aert's first Grand Tour since missing the Tour de France through injury.

It also gives him unfinished business in Spain. In 2024, Van Aert won three stages before crashing out on stage 16 while leading both the points and mountains classifications.

This time, Visma will again have plenty of freedom to use him across different types of stages. Van Aert can contest reduced sprints, target breakaways and look for opportunities on the many transitional days.

He will not be the team's only fast finisher.

Brennan enters his first Grand Tour with an increasingly impressive winning record. The young Brit took 12 victories in 2025 and has added another seven in 2026, establishing himself as one of the most prolific young riders in the peloton.

With relatively few pure sprinters on the Vuelta start list, Brennan could even be the fastest man in the race on paper. That makes him a serious contender whenever a stage comes down to a bunch finish, while Laporte gives Visma another fast option on the flatter and more selective days.

In the mountains, much of the attention will fall on Kuss.

The 2023 Vuelta winner is preparing for his third Grand Tour of the season. Visma have not presented the American as an outright general classification leader, but his experience and climbing ability leave the door open should he find himself well placed during the race.

Tulett and Nordhagen will also have opportunities when the road rises.

For 21-year-old Nordhagen, the Vuelta will be his first taste of a three week race. The Norwegian is regarded as one of Visma's leading stage racing prospects and will be able to learn alongside some of the most experienced Grand Tour riders in the peloton.

One of those experienced figures is Steven Kruijswijk, who heads to Monaco for the 24th and final Grand Tour of his career.

The 39-year-old will retire at the end of the season after 17 years in the professional peloton. The setting carries extra significance for Kruijswijk, who has lived in the Monaco area with his family for the past decade.

“When I heard last year the Vuelta would start in Monaco, I said that would be the perfect moment for me, as a rider, to have my last race there,” Kruijswijk told Domestique.

His ambitions are now firmly focused on the team, with Kruijswijk looking to support Visma’s stage and general classification goals.

“My main goal will be helping the guys get stage victories and achieve a good result in the GC, being supportive in any way I can,” he said.

With Brennan and Nordhagen both making their Grand Tour debuts, Kruijswijk also sees an important role for himself away from the decisive moments of the race.

“I hope I can help the guys stay calm, do the right things, make the right choices, and give them confidence in the race.”