There are 5 American riders at the 2026 Vuelta a España - But in what stages might they perform?
CyclingSaturday, 22 August 2026 at 11:03
The 2026 Vuelta a España's startlist has been confirmed and the final Grand Tour of the season will begin this Saturday in Monaco. For American audiences, there will be five riders to keep a close eye on, as the USA brings in a quality block into the three-week race in which high ambitions can be had.
In 2025 there were six American riders at the start: Matthew Riccitello, Magnus Sheffield, Kevin Vermaerke, Sean Quinn, Matteo Jorgenson and Sepp Kuss. Half of them have returned, with the addition of a new team meaning that there are two more to look at.
The American EF Education-EasyPost will be at the start of the Vuelta with Richard Carapaz aiming for the final podium, however the team in itself will not feature any riders from the USA in its lineup.
Sepp Kuss
Sepp Kuss will represent Team Visma | Lease a Bike, something that does not come as a surprise. A resident in Andorra, Kuss has for many years participated in the Spanish Grand Tour, even when logic dictated the opposite. That is because, once again, Kuss is racing his third Grand Tour of the year.
At the Vuelta, Kuss has previously won the overall classification in 2023, the breakout moment of his long illustrious career that is often marked by his excellent work as a domestique in the high mountains. This time around, his presence is not exclusively marked by domestique work, but instead with a free role as the team come without Jonas Vingegaard - or Primoz Roglic who has led in many previous editions.
Kuss, a stage winner at this year's Giro - something he almost replicated at the Tour, will be aiming for a stage win at the Vuelta. The overall classification is a potential goal as well, but he may be spotted supporting his young teammates Ben Tulett and Jorgen Nordhagen in the mountains on occasion, if they step up to the leadership position.
Sepp Kuss will be America's best chance at a victory at the Vuelta a España
Matthew Riccitello
Matthew Riccitello was the rider who best represented the USA at the 2025 Vuelta a España, winning the youth classification and finishing fifth on what was his first shot at a three-week race. The Decathlon CMA CGM Team rider began the 2026 season with different ambitions, taking into consideration his move into a bigger project, but his importance may not change much.
Riccitello took part in the Tour de France, supporting Paul Seixas who finished fourth. Whilst fatigue could be a concern, it is notable that the 24-year old's form only really began showing in the final week of the Tour. At the Vuelta, he may show his best legs once again.
But Riccitello will not have the pressure of delivering like he did 12 months ago. His teammate Felix Gall is highly regarded as the favourite number 2 for the Vuelta, and he will be tasked with supporting the Austrian climber. Whilst beating Tadej Pogacar seems unlikely, Riccitello's role could not only be that of putting Gall's rivals under pressure, but also defend his position if necessary.
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Kevin Vermaerke
Kevin Vermaerke has raced the Vuelta a España on two occasions in the past, and earned himself a ticket this year via the many strong performances he's had over the second half of the season. The UAE Team Emirates - XRG rider was key in Isaac del Toro's support at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes; was second to Quinn Simmons at the national championships; was second at the Tour of Austria where he won the points classification; and also had a strong block of racing in Spain which included a 13th place at the Clásica San Sebastián.
Vermaerke will be a domestique for Tadej Pogacar, but not being a climber, his work should come before the likes of João Almeida or Jay Vine. The hilly days are the ones where he specializes in and could be the most important for the World Champion; whilst in the mountain stages he could also spend long stints at the head of the peloton in order to prepare an attack.
Will Barta and Larry Warbasse
30 and 36 years old respectively, Tudor Pro Cycling Team have bet on experience for their Vuelta a España lineup. In Will Barta and Larry Warbasse, the team hopes to add firepower towards its climber block. The Spanish Grand Tour is packed with difficult stages and, in pursuit of a stage win, they will hope their American duo can perform or help someone like Marco Brenner get better chances of fulfilling the team goal.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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