Pogacar, Vingegaard, Evenepoel, Van Aert... - What we know about where the World Tour's best will start the 2026 season
Cycling
The 2026 season is underway and at the Tour Down Under there are some big names taking to the start. But the main figures that will be fighting for victories at the Grand Tours are still keeping their powder dry and training ahead of the debut. We take a look at all of the big figures and where they will begin their respective season.
Besides INEOS Grenadiers and Alpecin - Premier Tech, all teams have in some way either shared the schedule of their main riders, or the riders themselves have revealed to the media their goals and races where they will start their seasons. Some names such as Mathieu van der Poel, Jasper Philipsen and Thymen Arensman are then missing, but it is possible to have a clear view of the grand majority of the field.
Everyone else is counting down to their season debut: Tadej Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel, Jonas Vingegaard, Juan Ayuso, Enric Mas, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Isaac del Toro, Mikel Landa and many more.
As a final tune-up for what promises to be a compelling season, this article lists when and where the peloton’s headline riders will open their 2026 campaigns.
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The stars’ 2026 season debuts
| Rider | Race | Date | Team |
| Tadej Pogacar | Strade Bianche | 07.03.2026 | UAE Team Emirates - XRG |
| Jonas Vingegaard | UAE Tour | 16.02.2026 | Team Visma | Lease a Bike |
| Remco Evenepoel | Challenge Mallorca (Trofeo Ses Salines) | 29.01.2026 | Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe |
| Primoz Roglic | Tirreno–Adriatico | 09.03.2026 | Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe |
| Wout van Aert | Omloop Het Nieuwsblad | 28.02.2026 | Team Visma | Lease a Bike |
| Enric Mas | Challenge Mallorca (Trofeo Calvià) | 28.01.2026 | Movistar Team |
| Juan Ayuso | Volta ao Algarve | 18.02.2026 | Lidl-Trek |
| Mads Pedersen | Volta à Comunitat Valenciana | 04.02.2026 | Lidl-Trek |
| Isaac del Toro | UAE Tour | 16.02.2026 | UAE Team Emirates - XRG |
| Cian Uijtdebroeks | Volta à Comunitat Valenciana | 04.02.2026 | Movistar Team |
| Mikel Landa | Volta à Comunitat Valenciana | 04.02.2026 | Soudal - Quick-Step |
| Joao Almeida | Volta à Comunitat Valenciana | 04.02.2026 | UAE Team Emirates - XRG |
| Tom Pidcock | Vuelta a Murcia | 13.02.2026 | Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
| Jonathan Milan | AlUla Tour | 27.01.2026 | Lidl-Trek |
| Florian Lipowitz | Challenge Mallorca (Trofeo Ses Salines) | 29.01.2026 | Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe |
| Mattias Skjelmose | Paris–Nice | 08.03.2026 | Lidl-Trek |
| Paul Seixas | Volta ao Algarve | 18.02.2026 | Decathlon CMA CGM |
| Matthew Riccitello | Tour de Provence | 13.02.2026 | Decathlon CMA CGM |
| Richard Carapaz | Challenge Mallorca (Trofeo Calvià) | 28.01.2026 | EF Education-EasyPost |
| Ben Healy | Strade Bianche | 07.03.2026 | EF Education-EasyPost |
| Julian Alaphilippe | Volta ao Algarve | 18.02.2026 | Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
| Paul Magnier | Volta à Comunitat Valenciana | 04.02.2026 | Soudal Quick-Step |
| Arnaud de Lie | Clássica de Almería | 12.02.2026 | Lotto-Intermarché |

Pogacar will open 2026 at Strade Bianche and Vingegaard at the UAE Tour
Pogacar and Vingegaard, separate paths
Unsurprisingly, the Tour de France remains the season’s pinnacle. The 2026 Grande Boucle will host the sixth chapter of the rivalry between Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard. Pogacar owns four titles (the first against Primoz Roglic, not the Dane), and Vingegaard two.
Although the Tour de France is the prime target for both and their teams (UAE Team Emirates - XRG and Team Visma | Lease a Bike), their build-ups will diverge sharply. Pogacar will again target the Monuments, while Vingegaard will debut at a Giro d’Italia where he hopes to make history.
The riders’ schedules are as follows:
TADEJ POGACAR
- Strade Bianche 2026
- Milano–Sanremo 2026
- Tour of Flanders 2026
- Paris-Roubaix 2026
- Liège–Bastogne–Liège 2026
- Tour de Romandie 2026
- Tour de Suisse 2026
- Tour de France 2026
JONAS VINGEGAARD
- UAE Tour 2026
- Volta a Catalunya 2026
- Giro d’Italia 2026
- Tour de France 2026
Pogacar’s calendar leaves one thing beyond doubt: the two-time world champion still dreams of completing his palmarès. To do that he needs Milano–Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix, the only two Monuments missing from his collection. In 2025 he was 3rd at La Classicissima and 2nd in the Hell of the North, all the more notable given it was his debut on the brutal French cobbles.
And, as outlined, Jonas Vingegaard will chase a historic win at the Giro d’Italia before turning to the Tour de France. If the Visma leader claims the Corsa Rosa, he would become the eighth rider in history to have won all three Grand Tours at least once.
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Jorge BorregueroWriter
Jorge Borreguero is a journalist with a degree from the Complutense University of Madrid and has been a writer for Cyclinguptodate and Ciclismoaldia since early 2023. In this role, he has played a key part in the evolution of the website, particularly as a specialist covering Movistar Team. He regularly writes race reports, analytical pieces, and in-depth features about the team, and has conducted exclusive interviews and attended multiple team presentations, providing readers with firsthand insights into one of the leading professional cycling squads.
Throughout his career, Jorge has maintained a strong focus on sports journalism, gaining experience across a variety of disciplines, including basketball and football. However, his current work is almost entirely dedicated to cycling, contributing extensively to Ciclismoaldia and its sister website Cyclinguptodate. For these platforms, he combines thorough research with detailed reporting to deliver high-quality content, ranging from race previews and results to expert analysis of teams and riders.
Jorge’s reporting is marked by accuracy, depth, and a commitment to providing readers with reliable and authoritative information. His direct engagement with teams, athletes, and events ensures that his coverage reflects firsthand knowledge and professional insight. Through his work, he has established himself as a trusted voice in professional cycling journalism, bridging the gap between the sport and its global audience while maintaining rigorous editorial standards.
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