Jonas Vingegaard enters the Tour de France 2026 fresh from a Giro d'Italia victory, but Tadej Pogacar is still the favourite to claim his fifth Tour title. The 22 teams have been announced, with several changes and new faces.
Alpecin-Premier Tech
The Dutch team boasts two strong cards: Jasper Philipsen aims to add to his 10 stage wins and repeat his 2023 points jersey, while Mathieu van der Poel will look for breakaways and lead-outs. Philipsen recently won the Tour of Belgium; van der Poel hasn't won since March but performed well in the spring Classics and nearly beat Pogacar in the Tour de Suisse time trial. He also received a fine for going topless in the leader's seat.
Team: Ramses Debruyne, Silvan Dillier, Tim Marsman, Jasper Philipsen, Edward Planckaert, Mathieu van der Poel, Jonas Rickaert, Emiel Verstrynge.
Main man: Mathieu van der Poel, the best bike handler in cycling, dangerous outside the high mountains.
Bahrain Victorious
With only eight victories this year and Pello Bilbao out due to illness, Bahrain led the Giro for nine days with Alfonso Eulalio and won a stage with Alec Segaert. Lenny Martinez won a stage at Paris-Nice and is maturing, but Antonio Tiberi needs to regain his 2024 form. Damiano Caruso, at 38, brings experience for his final Grand Tour.
Team: Phil Bauhaus, Damiano Caruso, Kamil Gradek, Lenny Martinez, Vlad van Mechelen, Matej Mohoric, Robert Stannard, Antonio Tiberi.
Main man: Lenny Martinez, a diminutive French climber with a pedigree: his grandfather Mario was King of the Mountains in 1978.
Caja Rural
This year's debutants have a long history and recently showed in the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alps with José Félix Parra in ninth. Joel Nicolau won silver in the Spanish national championship. They aim for breakaways and hope sprinter Fernando Gaviria can produce a miracle.
Team: Abel Balderstone, Sebastian Berwick, Fernando Gaviria, Alex Molenaar, Joel Nicolau, Stefano Oldani, Jakub Otruba, José Félix Parra.
Main man: Fernando Gaviria, who hasn't won in over two years but has seven Tour and Giro stages.
Cofidis
After nearly 30 years of sponsorship, Cofidis dropped to division two after a poor 2025. Milan Frétin is fast but not elite; Benjamin Thomas is determined but underpowered; Ion Izagirre has two Tour stages but is aging. Alex Aranburu or Izagirre are best bets for stage wins.
Team: Piet Allegaert, Alex Aranburu, Jenthe Biermans, Milan Frétin, Ion Izagirre, Alex Kirsch, Hugo Page, Benjamin Thomas.
Main man: Alex Aranburu, a fast climber with stage wins this year.
Decathlon-CMA CGM
Decathlon gamble by including 19-year-old prodigy Paul Seixas, who suffered a heavy crash three weeks ago. Sprinter Olav Kooij, guided by Cees Bol, has regained form after a disc operation.
Team: Tiesj Benoot, Cees Bol, Daan Hoole, Olav Kooij, Aurélien Paret-Peintre, Nicolas Prodhomme, Matthew Riccitello, Paul Seixas.
Main man: Paul Seixas, bearing 41 years of French hopes on his 19-year-old shoulders.
EF Education-EasyPost
The US squad punch above their weight. Alex Baudin won a stage and led the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alps. Ben Healy and Richard Carapaz target stage wins, a podium, and the mountains jersey. Carapaz was second in the Tour de Suisse behind Pogacar.
Team: Kasper Asgreen, Alex Baudin, Richard Carapaz, Ben Healy, Sean Quinn, Georg Steinhauser, Michael Valgren, Max Walker.
Main man: Richard Carapaz, the punchy Ecuadorian with a Giro and Olympic title.
Groupama-FDJ United
A thin year with one World Tour win: a stage at Tour de Suisse for Romain Grégoire. David Gaudu misses the Tour again. Grégoire's French championship victory is timely, but FDJ rely heavily on youth.
Team: Clément Berthet, Clément Braz Alfonso, Ewen Costiou, Lorenzo Germani, Romain Grégoire, Quentin Pacher, Clément Russo.
Main man: Romain Grégoire, new French champion targeting hilly stages.
Jayco-Alula
Stage wins are the target for the Australian team, but none of their seven victories this year are at WorldTour level. Ben O'Connor often wins a mountain stage in Grand Tours; Michael Matthews returns after a training accident.
Team: Pascal Ackermann, Luke Durbridge, Felix Engelhardt, Michael Matthews, Kelland O'Brien, Ben O'Connor, Luke Plapp, Mauro Schmid.
Main man: Ben O'Connor, an inconsistent climber with four Grand Tour stages.
Lidl-Trek
A lean year after an appalling crash for Mads Pedersen in February. They target all terrains with Pedersen, Juan Ayuso, and Derek Gee-West for GC. Management shake-up may affect performance.
Team: Juan Ayuso, Derek Gee-West, Mads Pedersen, Quinn Simmons, Mattias Skjelmose, Toms Skuijns, Mathias Vacek, Carlos Verona.
Main man: Mads Pedersen, the hulking Classics specialist with 11 Grand Tour stage wins.
Lotto-Intermarché
Belgian team's 40th Tour features Arnaud De Lie, Baptiste Veistroffer, and Liam Slock. De Lie is inconsistent since Lyme disease in 2024.
Team: Huub Artz, Jenno Berckmoes, Lars Craps, Lennert van Eetveldt, Arnaud de Lie, Liam Slock, Baptiste Veistroffer, Georg Zimmerman.
Main man: Arnaud de Lie, the "Bull of Lescheret."
Movistar
Telefonica may end their contract early. Ivan Romeo misses the Tour due to illness. Cian Uitdebroeks has yet to finish a Grand Tour. Pablo Castrillo won the Spanish time trial championship.
Team: Pablo Castrillo, Jefferson Cepeda, Raúl García Pierna, Michael Hessman, Nelson Oliveira, Javier Romo, Einer Rubio, Cian Uitdebroeks.
Main man: Cian Uitdebroeks, the 23-year-old Belgian with promise.
NSN
Eight men, one mission: a stage win for Eritrean leader Biniam Girmay, plus a repeat of his 2024 green jersey. Lewis Askey won silver at the UK national championship.
Team: Tom van Asbroeck, Lewis Askey, George Bennett, Marco Frigo, Biniam Girmay, Matis Louvel, Krists Neilands, Jake Stewart.
Main man: Biniam Girmay, Africa's biggest cycling star.
Netcompany-Ineos
A new sponsor and kit. Sir Dave Brailsford is back with Geraint Thomas. They have 27 wins including a team time trial at Paris-Nice. Filippo Ganna, Tobias Foss, and Josh Tarling are favourites for the opening TTT.
Team: Thymen Arensman, Egan Bernal, Tobias Foss, Filippo Ganna, Dorion Godon, Michal Kwiatkowski, Josh Tarling, Kévin Vauquelin.
Main man: Thymen Arensman, who won two Tour stages last year and finished fourth in the Giro.
Picnic-Post NL
A horrible season with just one win. They lack budget to retain best riders. Veterans Warren Barguil and John Degenkolb will carry youngsters.
Team: Warren Barguil, Julius van den Berg, Frits Biesterbos, Pavel Bittner, Frank Van den Broek, John Degenkolb, Robbe Dhondt, Niklas Märkl.
Main man: Pavel Bittner, the lanky Czech sprinter who won a Vuelta stage in 2024.
Pinarello-Q36.5
Tom Pidcock is the main man but had a bad crash and illness. He has four wins this season. Fred Wright is the newly-crowned British champion.
Team: Xabier Azparren, Chris Harper, Quinten Hermans, Damien Howson, Xandro Meurisse, Brent van Moer, Tom Pidcock, Fred Wright.
Main man: Tom Pidcock, the feisty Yorkshireman and best descender.
Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe
The new superteam have 28 wins. Remco Evenepoel had seven wins in 19 days and won Amstel Gold. Florian Lipowitz won the Tour of Slovenia. They could challenge Pogacar and Vingegaard.
Team: Matteo Cattaneo, Nico Denz, Mick van Dijke, Remco Evenepoel, Maxim van Gils, Jai Hindley, Florian Lipowitz, Jan Tratnik.
Main man: Remco Evenepoel, time trial world and Olympic champion.
Soudal Quick-Step
Tim Merlier is the winning machine with six wins this season. Paul Magnier was unstoppable in the Giro. Mikel Landa is injured.
Team: Dylan van Baarle, Pascal Eenkhorn, Bert van Lerberghe, Tim Merlier, Valentin Paret-Peintre, Jasper Stuyven, Ilan van Wilder, Louis Vervaeke.
Main man: Tim Merlier, at 33 still adding Tour stages.
Tudor
The second division squad debuted last year. Julian Alaphilippe in breaks, Arvid de Kleijn in sprints, Michael Storer in mountains, Matteo Trentin everywhere. Marc Hirschi had seven wins in 2024 but was quiet last year.
Team: Julian Alaphilippe, Arvid de Kleijn, Marco Haller, Marc Hirschi, Rick Pluimers, Michael Storer, Matteo Trentin, Yannis Voisard.
Main man: Julian Alaphilippe, a double world champion past his best.
TotalEnergies
TotalEnergies leaves at season end; riders are looking elsewhere. They crave a repeat of Anthony Turgis's 2024 stage win.
Team: Mathis le Berre, Nicolas Breuillard, Joris Delbove, Alexandre Delettre, Thibaut Guernalec, Jordan Jégat, Antony Turgis, Mattéo Vercher.
Main man: Jordan Jégat, who finished 10th in GC last year.
Visma-Leaseabike
Without injured Wout van Aert and Christophe Laporte, they still have Vingegaard after his Giro win. Davide Piganzoli doubles Giro and Tour at 23. Matteo Jorgenson and Sepp Kuss are backups.
Team: Edoardo Affini, Bruno Armirail, Victor Campenaerts, Per Strand Hagenes, Matteo Jorgenson, Sepp Kuss, Davide Piganzoli, Jonas Vingegaard.
Main man: Jonas Vingegaard, the Dane who took the 2022 and 2023 Tours.
UAE Team Emirates
The strongest armada: Isaac del Toro, Brandon McNulty, Adam Yates could lead other teams. Pogacar has raced 16 days and won 13 times. They are the clear favourites.
Team: Felix Großschartner, Brandon McNulty, Tadej Pogacar, Nils Politt, Isaac del Toro, Florian Vermeersch, Tim Wellens, Adam Yates.
Main man: Tadej Pogacar, aiming for his fifth Tour win.
Uno X-Mobility
Scandinavians with a knack for winning big. Jonas Abrahamsen won a stage in 2025. Magnus Cort has nine Grand Tour stage wins. Tobias Halland Johannesen finished sixth last year.
Team: Jonas Abrahamsen, Anthon Charmig, Magnus Cort, Anders Halland Johannesen, Tobias Halland Johannesen, Anders Skarseth, Torsten Traen, Søren Waerenskjold.
Main man: Magnus Cort, the new Danish national champion.
XDS Astana
Kazakhstan's team had two stage wins in a great Giro. All-rounder Sergio Higuita and Giro stage winner Davide Ballerini are present. Nicolas Vinokourov is the son of Alexandr Vinokourov.
Team: Davide Ballerini, Aaron Gate, Sergio Higuita, Max Kanter, Harold Tejada, Mike Teunissen, Simone Velasco, Nicolas Vinokourov.
Main man: Davide Ballerini, fast-finishing former European champion.
