OFFICIAL: Cian Uijtdebroeks leads stage-focused Movistar into 2026 Tour de France

The 2026 Tour de France is here. On the 4th of July a very special edition for Movistar Team begins, with the Grande Boucle rolling out from Barcelona in a team time trial where the Spanish squad will be the main local hope alongside Caja Rural - Seguros RGA. The long-awaited Spanish lineup is out, with Cian Uijtdebroeks as spearhead and several surprises in the ‘8’.

As expected, Uijtdebroeks will lead Movistar in the fight for the general classification of the Tour de France. Victory looks utopian given the presence of stars such as Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard above all, but also Remco Evenepoel, Paul Seixas, Isaac del Toro, Juan Ayuso and company. A Top 5–10 should be the Belgian’s target.

Alongside Cian Uijtdebroeks in the mountains will be a key helper: Einer Rubio. The Colombian will be his main domestique to get through the hardest days. Even so, as in the Giro d’Italia, he is expected to hunt stages together with two equally strong candidates: Pablo Castrillo and Raúl García Pierna.

Castrillo arrives after winning the Spanish Time Trial Championships, his first victory with Movistar Team. As Tour de France prep he raced the Tour de Romandie, where he finished third on stage 4 won by Tadej Pogacar, and the Tour Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, where he made two breakaways and closed one with a Top 10 at the line.

Raúl García Pierna, for his part, hits the race in top form after focusing on stage hunting throughout the first half of the season. He won one at the Volta à Comunidade Valenciana, was second on the final stage of Itzulia, and impressed at the Tour Auvergne Rhône-Alpes with fourth on stage 2, fifth on stage 4 and another fifth on stage 6. He will, without doubt, be one of Movistar’s strongest cards to land a stage win at this Tour de France.

Now for the surprises in the line-up: Javier Romo will ride the Tour de France. The rider from Toledo could not finish the Giro d’Italia due to illness, but Roger Adrià’s low level has left him out of the list, opening the door to a rider who can contest breakaway wins.

Another surprise inclusion is Jefferson Alveiro Cepeda. Although the Ecuadorian caught Influenza A, like Iván Romeo, at the Tour Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, his recovery has gone much better than expected. Another rider to chase stages in a race where Movistar Team clearly wants to go all-in.

Michel Hessmann also makes the cut. The German is one of the team's most trustworthy domestiques and a close acquaintance of Uijtdebroeks, renewed a week ago through 2027 in a show of faith. Hessmann will be a very valuable asset for the team time trial and for the ever-crucial rouleur duties.

Lastly, and just as important, Nelson Oliveira will be there. Despite being 37 and having raced the Giro d’Italia, Movistar has decided the Portuguese will be one of the weapons for the Barcelona team time trial, bringing his experience into the Tour. This will be Oliveira’s 24th Grand Tour and his 10th Tour de France as a professional.