Alpecin-Premier Tech reveal Tour de France lineup with dad-to-be Mathieu van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen reunited for sprint hunt

Alpecin-Premier Tech have confirmed their eight-rider lineup for the 2026 Tour de France, with Mathieu van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen once again giving the Belgian team two of the race’s most dangerous stage-winning options.

The team announced their selection with a short social media post, naming Van der Poel and Philipsen as the headline names in a squad built around sprint support, flat-stage control and opportunistic racing. After changing name from Alpecin-Deceuninck to Alpecin-Premier Tech over the winter, the team head to Barcelona with a familiar Tour formula: Philipsen for the bunch finishes, Van der Poel as both a lead-out weapon and a rider capable of chasing his own chances when the race gets harder.

Van der Poel’s Tour role is rarely limited to one job. He remains central to Philipsen’s sprint train, but the route also offers chances for him to target stages himself, particularly on days where the terrain is too awkward for the pure sprinters or where crosswinds, repeated climbs or late attacks open the race.

His Tour build-up has been deliberately narrow. Alpecin-Premier Tech had already confirmed that Van der Poel would use the Tour de Suisse as his only race block before the Tour, with the team pointing towards a role in both the sprint train and the pursuit of stage wins.

Van der Poel also heads into Tour week after announcing personal news away from racing, with the Dutchman and Roxanne Bertels revealing that they are expecting their first child.

If Philipsen gets early sprint opportunities, Van der Poel will again be one of the key riders in the lead-out. If the race becomes harder to control, he gives Alpecin-Premier Tech a second route to a stage win without abandoning their sprint plan.

Philipsen remains the team’s clearest route to victories. The Belgian has already won multiple Tour stages in his career and arrives with recent winning form after taking Copenhagen Sprint in June.

Around him, Alpecin-Premier Tech have selected several riders suited to the positioning battles that define the Tour’s flat days. Jonas Rickaert and Edward Planckaert bring familiar sprint-train value, while Silvan Dillier adds experience and durability across the rougher, more nervous stages.

The inclusion of Ramses Debruyne, Emiel Verstrynge and Tim Marsman gives the team a fresher shape behind the established leaders. Verstrynge brings cyclo-cross pedigree and developing road potential, while Marsman’s selection comes after a strong ride at the Dutch national championships.

Alpecin-Premier Tech are not heading to the Tour with a general classification project. Their race will be built around stage chances, sprint execution and the days when Van der Poel can turn a harder finale into an opportunity of his own.