UAE arrives with strength, ambition and mountain support
Barcelona, Spain | June 2026
Tadej Pogačar will arrive at the 2026 Tour de France surrounded by one of the strongest squads in the race, as UAE Team Emirates-XRG confirmed a powerful lineup designed to help the Slovenian pursue another historic yellow jersey.
The team will be built around Pogačar, who remains one of the dominant figures in modern cycling and will start the Tour as one of the main favorites for overall victory.
Alongside him, UAE will count on Mexican rider Isaac del Toro, one of the most exciting young talents in the peloton and a rider whose climbing ability, confidence and recent progression have made him a major asset for the team.
Adam Yates will also be a key part of the squad, bringing Grand Tour experience, tactical intelligence and high-level mountain support during the decisive stages.
The UAE lineup also includes Brandon McNulty, Felix Großschartner, Tim Wellens, Nils Politt and Florian Vermeersch, giving the team balance across mountains, rolling terrain, flat stages and high-pressure transitional days.
Del Toro’s presence adds special interest for Latin American cycling. The Mexican rider is expected to play an important support role for Pogačar while continuing his own development on the biggest stage in the sport.
For UAE, the objective is clear: protect Pogačar, control the race when necessary and respond to attacks from rivals such as Jonas Vingegaard and other general classification contenders.
The structure of the team shows a careful balance between experienced riders and rising talent. Yates and Wellens provide maturity and race reading, McNulty and Großschartner strengthen the climbing block, while Politt and Vermeersch offer power and protection in flat and windy stages.
The 2026 Tour de France will begin in Barcelona on July 4 and is expected to deliver a demanding route where team strength could be decisive. In a race often shaped by crashes, crosswinds, mountain attacks and tactical pressure, Pogačar’s support group may prove as important as his individual brilliance.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG enters the Tour with the confidence of a team designed not only to compete, but to control key moments of the race. With Pogačar as leader and Del Toro among his most intriguing allies, the squad sends a strong message before the first stage: the yellow jersey will be defended and pursued with a full arsenal.
Phoenix24 News | Information with responsibility.