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UAE Team Emirates Names Eight-Rider Lineup Led by Tadej Pogacar for 2026 Tour de France

The squad pairs Pogacar with debutant Isaac del Toro as his principal lieutenant for a bid at a fifth Tour on the Barcelona-to-Paris route.

Overview

  • UAE Team Emirates announced an eight-rider roster that includes Tadej Pogacar and Mexican debutant Isaac del Toro along with Felix Großschartner, Brandon McNulty, Nils Politt, Florian Vermeersch, Tim Wellens and Adam Yates.
  • Isaac del Toro will make his first Tour de France start and is presented by media as Pogacar’s main support rider or ‘lieutenant’ on mountain stages.
  • Del Toro’s selection follows a recovery from an injury sustained at the Vuelta al País Vasco and recent stage-race victories that team coverage cites as justification for his inclusion.
  • The squad mixes climbers and rouleurs to protect Pogacar across varied terrain and team leaders describe the group as built specifically to support a general classification bid.
  • The 113th Tour covers roughly 3,300 km with about 54,000 m of climbing from Barcelona to Paris, making team depth and Del Toro’s form immediate factors to watch when racing begins.