ANALYSIS | How Visma could use its leaders in the 2026 Giro, Tour and Vuelta

The 2026 season still has a couple of months to go before it gets off to a flying start. However, preparations have already begun, and that means that the stars of the teams are surely already planning their respective calendars, especially for the grand tours. Within Team Visma | Lease a Bike, how might they devise their plans for the coming year with Jonas Vingegaard, Simon Yates, Matteo Jorgenson, Wout van Aert, etc.

There is no doubt that Tour de France (above all), Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España are Visma's three main goals every year. The Dutch squad is amongst the best in the whole World Tour when it comes to the 3-week races, and their results show it with Jonas Vingegaard, Simon Yates and company (in the past also Primoz Roglic and Sepp Kuss).

For example, in 2023 Visma took the three victories by winning Tour with Vingegaard, Giro with Roglic and Vuelta with Sepp Kuss. And in 2025 they celebrated Giro with Yates, Vuelta with Vingegaard a second place at the Tour de France with the Dane. In the end, a better track record than UAE (who did although have second at both Giro and Vuelta).

To beat UAE Team Emirates - XRG again in the 2026 season, careful planning and preparation - as well as some luck added into the mix - will be necessary. This is how the Dutch team could potentially use its leaders.

Jonas Vingegaard is expected to make his debut at the Giro d'Italia. It has already been rumored for months, and the rider himself has admitted that he would love to race the Corsa Rosa for the first time. And the occasion calls for it, because Vingegaard is lagging behind Tadej Pogacar in Tour de France titles, and has to make up for it in other ways.

Already this 2025 he added his third grand tour title by winning the Vuelta a España. Pogacar is not expected to go to the Giro in 2026, so Vingegaard would be a big favorite, and any other result than his victory would be quite surprising. Also, if he were to win that Giro d'Italia he would get the triple crown before the Slovenian, because the UAE leader has not yet taken La Vuelta.

Jonas Vingegaard should (and will, barring injury) lead Visma in the Tour de France. He remains the only rider capable of giving Tadej Pogacar a fight in the Grande Boucle, and the matter will be no different in 2026.

That said, Visma has to bring his full cavalry to support Vingegaard. And that means Matteo Jorgenson, Sepp Kuss, Simon Yates, Victor Campenaerts, Wout van Aert... With a lineup like that at least the team can dream of giving Pogacar a fight until the last day of the race. Perhaps Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe will also give fight against the dominating force of last years' race.

This is where all the doubts come in. Without Jonas Vingegaard, who should take over the leadership of Visma | Lease a Bike in the Vuelta a España 2026? Matteo Jorgenson has not yet proven himself as a reference of the Dutch team, and Sepp Kuss finished this year's edition very well (7th as Vingegaard's domestique). But the reins, deservedly, would have to go to Simon Yates.

Obviously, this is said since the off-season. Many things can happen to change plans. But the fact of having given them the overall win in the last Giro d'Italia, rounding it off with a stage win in the Tour de France, should be enough to have earned them to be able to fight for the Vuelta a España 2026, looking for his second title (he already won it in 2018).