Can these riders challenge Tadej Pogačar at the 2026 Tour de Suisse? - Four key contenders to take on the Slovenian before Tour de France

Tadej Pogacar’s impact in the peloton is indisputable. At 27, he is already seen as a sporting legend. Only Eddy Merckx surpasses him for historical dominance in cycling. And it is precisely because of the Cannibal that he lines up at the Tour de Suisse: to narrow the gaps in his palmarès and match his titles.

On his road to the 2026 Tour de France, the Slovenian arrives after a flawless start to the season, winning everything he targeted except Paris-Roubaix. He won Strade Bianche, Milano–Sanremo, Tour des Flandres, Liège–Bastogne–Liège and Tour de Romandie.

The Tour de Suisse, despite being reduced from eight to five stages this season, remains one of the key build-up races for the Tour de France, a decisive test to gauge July form, and a stage traditionally used by the sport’s biggest stars to send messages before the Grande Boucle.

Although Paul Seixas, Remco Evenepoel and Jonas Vingegaard will not take part, the start list offers strong alternatives we will see at the big French tour or at the Vuelta a España late in the summer.

The Swiss race will start on June 17th and will once again serve as the last big exam for many Tour de France contenders. The historic Tour de Suisse presents a compact yet demanding structure. For the first time, the race will start outside Switzerland, specifically in the Italian town of Sondrio. From there, the peloton will traverse some of the country’s most recognisable sites, passing through Locarno, Bad Ragaz and Aarburg before concluding in Villars-sur-Ollon.

The opening three days offer rolling profiles and ideal terrain for punchers like Tadej Pogacar or Tom Pidcock and for GC men. The only clear opportunity for the fast men arrives on stage three, while the individual time trial in Aarburg will open gaps before the final showdown.

The route appears built to funnel into the queen stage to Villars-sur-Ollon, a high-mountain day with more than 4,400 metres of elevation gain that should decide the general classification. It will be a fitting finale to a short, intense edition with a luxury cast led by Pogacar, alongside names such as Primoz Roglic, Antonio Tiberi, Lenny Martinez, Mathieu van der Poel, Javi Romo and Orluis Aular.

Richard Carapaz returns as one of the key references for the high mountains. The Ecuadorian reappears this season with good sensations after a long spell away from racing due to a perineal issue, and he has already shown his level with a brilliant third place at GP Gippingen, held last week in Switzerland.

The EF Education-EasyPost rider had not raced since the Volta a Catalunya and, after missing the Giro d’Italia 2026, now centres his build-up on the Tour de France. Before the Grande Boucle, Carapaz heads to the Tour de Suisse aiming to keep sharpening his condition.

The 2019 Giro d’Italia winner will return to the Tour after skipping last year’s edition and is poised to regain prominence in the Grand Tours after overcoming the physical problems that sent him to the operating table. In any case, the Ecuadorian remains a guarantee when the road tilts up, thanks to his ability to perform at the highest level on big mountain stages.

Antonio Tiberi approaches the Tour de Suisse with a dual aim. First, to check his shape after several weeks of altitude work on Teide. Second, to test himself against Tadej Pogacar, the race’s main favourite and a global reference, less than three weeks from the start of the Tour de France. The Bahrain Victorious rider has built his entire season around his debut at the Grande Boucle.

After a sparkling start between the UAE Tour and Trofeo Laigueglia, he went through a trickier spring, something he sees as normal after months competing at the highest level. Now he seeks in Switzerland the definitive sensations to approach his season’s main goal with confidence. Beyond results, Tiberi wants to confirm his progression remains on track.

The 24-year-old says he has undergone a major mental shift over the past year, learning to handle pressure and to ignore external expectations and constant comparisons with figures like Pogacar or Jonas Vingegaard. The Slovenian’s presence makes the Tour de Suisse a demanding test. For Tiberi, however, the goal is not necessarily to beat the world champion, but to see how close he can get to the best climbers on the planet.

A key test before his first Tour de France with the aim of fighting for the general classification and, if the race allows, targeting a top‑10 finish.

Lenny Martinez’s presence at the 2026 Tour de Suisse adds extra uncertainty to a race that, on paper, looks set for Tadej Pogačar’s dominance. The young French climber arrives in Switzerland as one of the season’s most consistent riders, intent on closing the gap to the sport’s leading reference point.

At 22, Martínez has taken a clear step up in 2026. His first major statement came at Paris–Nice, where he finished fifth overall, only behind top‑tier riders led by Jonas Vingegaard. He soon confirmed that progression at the Volta a Catalunya, taking second overall behind the Visma Dane and showing a consistency that placed him among the strongest stage racers on the calendar.

His last outing before Suisse came at the Tour de Romandie, also on Swiss roads. There he again faced the leading favourites and finished third overall, only behind Pogačar and Florian Lipowitz. He also won the young riders’ classification, underlining his upward trajectory. The Tour de Suisse now poses a maximum‑stress exam. With less than three weeks to the Tour de France, the Bahrain‑Victorious rider has an ideal chance to animate the race while fine‑tuning his form.

Aleksandr Vlasov heads to the 2026 Tour de Suisse on a different trajectory to other contenders, with every indication he will skip the Tour de France. The Red Bull rider took on a domestique role at the Giro d’Italia, supporting Jai Hindley and Giulio Pellizzari, while still showing himself when the race demanded it on selective terrain or on days for the break.

Although he was far from the general classification in the Corsa Rosa, his high‑mountain performances showed he can respond on the toughest days, staying solid within a structure balancing individual ambitions and collective goals. Now, in Suisse, he regains leadership status. At GP Gippingen last weekend, he was beaten only by Liam Slock, with Richard Carapaz behind after a tightly fought finish.

In a race widely expected to be ruled by Tadej Pogačar, Vlasov lines up as a serious outsider, capable of exploiting a range of scenarios, much like his teammate Primoz Roglic, whose big target is La Vuelta and whose form is still being built.

The Tour de Suisse is a chance to see whether the Russian can turn his Giro solidity and recent Gippingen podium into a real threat for the rest.