Netcompany INEOS – The British team has had a very difficult Tour de France and is looking to get back on its feet. The returning Oscar Onley will be the leader for the overall classification; with the likes of Ben Turner, Axel Laurance and Carlos Rodríguez also part of the lineup.
Tudor Pro Cycling Team – The Swiss team are the first of the wildcard teams present in the race, having Tour de Pologne GC winner Marco Brenner at the start and also Stefan Küng who won his first race with the team in Pologne.
Bahrain – Victorious – Bahrain will back up Santiago Buitrago for the overall classification, with a team looking to replicate the success of the Giro and Tour.
Uno-X Mobility – The Norwegian team will be aiming for stage wins with the likes of Andreas Kron and Andreas Leknessund in its lineup.
NSN Cycling Team – The Swiss World Tour outfit aims to go for stage wins in Spain, featuring prominent climbers Jan Hirt and Alexey Lutsenko at the helm.
Pinarello – Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team – David de la Cruz and Eddie Dunbar headline a lineup that will prioritize stage wins but might also be involved in the fight for the Top10 in search of UCI points.
Lidl-Trek – After winning the points classification 12 months ago, Mads Pedersen returns as the leader for Lidl-Trek. The team will also back up Mattias Skjelmose for the overall classification after a tremendous sixth place at the Tour de France.
Mads Pedersen will be at La Vuelta after winning the points classification at the Tour de France
Alpecin – Premier Tech – In the absence of Jasper Philipsen and Mathieu van der Poel, the Belgian team will provide opportunities for some of its younger riders to pursue stage wins.
Team Jayco AlUla – The Australian team will go all-out for stage victories in hilly terrain, led by Luke Plapp and Paul Double.
Burgos Berpellet BH – The Spanish team net a wildcard and will aim for success on the hilly and mountainous days with riders such as Jesús Herrada, José Manuel Diaz and Sergio Chumil at the start.
Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe – Primoz Roglic is expected to be the team’s leader for the overall classification; whilst the team will also provide space for its talented youngsters Luke Tuckwell and Laurence Pithie to perform.
XDS Astana Team – The Kazakh team will as usual aim for stage wins, having many specialists for the hilly terrain; whilst the likes of Lorenzo Fortunato, Harold Tejada and Cristian Rodríguez might aim for the overall classification.
EF Education – EasyPost – The American team will have Richard Carapaz at the start, a wildcard for the GC; and Marijn van den Berg who will aim for success in the sprint stagess.
Team Picnic PostNL – Picnic will hope for youngster Bjoern Koerdt and Juan Guillermo Martínez to help the team into a much-needed stage win.
Lotto – Intermarché – The Belgian team will have youngster Jarno Widar race his very first Grand Tour, a great moment of discovery.
Team Visma | Lease a Bike – Matthew Brennan will aim for sprint wins in his maiden Grand Tour, backed by a Wout Van Aert who has unfinished business with the race but a great past in terms of results. Ben Tulett and Jorgen Nordhagen could be GC outsiders whilst Sepp Kuss may also aim for leadership after a great Tour de France.
Soudal – Quick-Step – Mikel Landa and Valentin Paret-Peintre will gun for the team’s mountain ambitions – which may include a tilt at the overall classification – whilst Alberto Dainese will be given liberty to fight for the bunch sprints.
UAE Team Emirates – XRG – The team of Tadej Pogacar is the grand favourite to win the Vuelta, with the Slovenian being backed up by last year’s runner-up João Almeida.
Groupama – FDJ – The French team is bringing David Gaudu and Guillaume Martin in an attempt to make something out of 2026’s Grand Tours, that have been thus far very complicated.
Cofidis – Cofidis got a wildcard for the race and will aim for a stage win with the likes of Bryan Coquard for the hilly sprints and Emanuel Buchmann for the mountain stages.
Movistar Team – Movistar goes all-in on the final Grand Tour of the season, placing Cian Uijtdebroeks and Enric Mas in the pursuit of results in the mountains; whilst Iván Romeo and Pablo Castrillo will be chasing for wins in the many hilly breakaway days.
Equipo Kern Pharma – The Spanish team is at threat of ending its existence, but it nevertheless has a talented lineup of Spanish riders including former stage winner Urko Berrade and Ibon Ruiz.
Tadej Pogacar will be the headliner of the 2026 Vuelta a España
Startlist Vuelta a España 2026
Last update: 16/08 – 16:15h.