2026 Vuelta a España start list & dropouts | Nursing a broken ankle, Cian Uijtdebroeks is dropout number 3
CyclingWednesday, 26 August 2026 at 11:34
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Follow us on GoogleThe 2026 Giro d'Italia and Tour de France have come and gone, which means there is only one Grand Tour left in 2026: the Vuelta a España. The Spanish stage race begins on August 22, and IDL Pro Cycling will be keeping track of the (confirmed) participants throughout the race.
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While the start lists for the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France are usually announced fairly early, that’s often not the case for the Vuelta. Many riders have already completed a Grand Tour, so it’s often a case of team's making last-minute decisions.
This year, the Vuelta will begin in Monaco on August 22 with an individual time trial. Over the course of the three weeks, riders will, of course, have to tackle the usual elevation gain, though the finish will not be in Madrid this time. Due to the Formula 1 street race in the Spanish capital, Granada will host the final stage.
The top favorite is Tadej Pogacar, whose team, UAE Emirates-XRG, was the first to announce its eight-rider roster. The Slovenian, who has a chance to complete his Grand Tour trilogy, will be supported by riders including Joao Almeida, Jay Vine, and Kevin Vermaerke.
In addition to Pogacar, Wout van Aert, Matthew Brennan (Visma | Lease a Bike), Mads Pedersen, Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek), Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM), and Oscar Onley (Netcompany INEOS), among others, are also expected at the start.
Riders abandon the Vuelta as early as stage 2
The Tour of Spain started on Saturday, August 22, with a time trial, in which everyone managed to reach the finish in one piece. The first dropout occurred after a crash on day two: Sergio Chumil, a rider from Gautamala riding for Burgos-BH, hit the asphalt hard and had to abandon the race. Day three saw the second withdrawal: Alex Kirsch of Cofidis.
After finishing stage 4 with a broken ankle and bursting into tears at the line, Cian Uijtdebroeks stepped off his bike before the start of stage 5.
Confirmed team and leaders for the 2026 Vuelta a España
| Team | Leader(s) |
| UAE Emirates XRG | Tadej Pogačar and Joao Almeida |
| Red Bull BORA-hansgrohe | Primož Roglič |
| Visma | Lease a Bike | Wout van Aert, Jørgen Nordhagen and Matthew Brennan |
| Netcompany INEOS | Oscar Onley |
| Decathlon CMA CGM | Felix Gall and Matthew Riccitello |
| Lidl-Trek | Mattias Skjelmose and Mads Pedersen |
| Uno-X | Tobias Halland Johannessen and Magnus Cort |
| Jayco AlUla | Paul Double |
| Cofidis | Bryan Coquard |
| Lotto Intermarché | Jarno Widar |
| XDS Astana | Christian Rodriguez |
| Movistar | Enric Mas and Cian Uijtdebroeks |
| Tudor Pro Cycling | Stefan Küng and Marco Brenner |
| Burgos Burpellet BH | Jesús Herrada and César Macías |
| Picnic PostNL | Juan Guillermo Martinez en Gijs Leemreize |
| Bahrain Victorious | Santiago Buitrago |
| Soudal Quick-Step | Mikel Landa and Alberto Dainese |
| NSN Cycling | Hugo Hofstetter and George Bennett |
| Pinarello Q36.5 | Eddie Dunbar en Milan Vader |
| Netcompany INEOS | Oscar Onley and Ben Turner |
Participants and bib numbers for the 2026 Vuelta a España
Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe
1 Primož Roglič
2 Finn Fisher-Black
3 Jordi Meeus
4 Gianni Moscon
5 Callum Thornley
6 Luke Tuckwell
7 Gianni Vermeersch
8 Frederik Wandahl
2 Finn Fisher-Black
3 Jordi Meeus
4 Gianni Moscon
5 Callum Thornley
6 Luke Tuckwell
7 Gianni Vermeersch
8 Frederik Wandahl
UAE Emirates-XRG
11 Tadej Pogacar
12 Joao Almeida
13 Domen Novak
14 Ivo Oliveira
15 Pavel Sivakov
16 Pablo Torres
17 Kevin Vermaerke
18 Jay Vine
12 Joao Almeida
13 Domen Novak
14 Ivo Oliveira
15 Pavel Sivakov
16 Pablo Torres
17 Kevin Vermaerke
18 Jay Vine
Movistar
21 Enric Mas
22 Jorge Arcas
23 Orluis Aular
24 Carlos Canal
25 Pablo Castrillo
26 Raul Garcia
27 Ivan Romeo
28 Cian Uijtdebroeks
22 Jorge Arcas
23 Orluis Aular
24 Carlos Canal
25 Pablo Castrillo
26 Raul Garcia
27 Ivan Romeo
Visma | Lease a Bike
31 Wout van Aert
32 Bruno Armirail
33 Matthew Brennan
34 Steven Kruijswijk
35 Sepp Kuss
36 Christophe Laporte
37 Jørgen Nordhagen
38 Ben Tulett
32 Bruno Armirail
33 Matthew Brennan
34 Steven Kruijswijk
35 Sepp Kuss
36 Christophe Laporte
37 Jørgen Nordhagen
38 Ben Tulett
Decathlon CMA CGM
41 Félix Gall
42 Léo Bisiaux
43 Oscar Chamberlain
44 Sander De Pestel
45 Jordan Labrosse
46 Gregor Mühlberger
47 Matthew Riccitello
48 Callum Scotson
42 Léo Bisiaux
43 Oscar Chamberlain
44 Sander De Pestel
45 Jordan Labrosse
46 Gregor Mühlberger
47 Matthew Riccitello
48 Callum Scotson
Pinarello - Q36.5
51 David de la Cruz
52 Xabier Azparren
53 Walter Calzoni
54 Marcel Camprubi
55 Edward Dunbar
56 Thomas Gloag
57 David Gonzalez Lopez
58 Milan Vader
52 Xabier Azparren
53 Walter Calzoni
54 Marcel Camprubi
55 Edward Dunbar
56 Thomas Gloag
57 David Gonzalez Lopez
58 Milan Vader
Netcompany INEOS
61. Oscar Onley
62. Jack Haig
63. Lucas Hamilton
64. Axel Laurance
65. Carlos Rodriguez
66. Embret Svestad-Bardseng
67. Joshua Tarling
68. Ben Turner
62. Jack Haig
63. Lucas Hamilton
64. Axel Laurance
65. Carlos Rodriguez
66. Embret Svestad-Bardseng
67. Joshua Tarling
68. Ben Turner
Bahrain Victorious
71 Pello Bilbao
72 Santiago Buitrago
73 Roman Ermakov
74 Matevž Govekar
75 Pau Miquel
76 Jakob Omrzel
77 Mathijs Paasschens
78 Attila Valter
72 Santiago Buitrago
73 Roman Ermakov
74 Matevž Govekar
75 Pau Miquel
76 Jakob Omrzel
77 Mathijs Paasschens
78 Attila Valter
Lidl-Trek
81 Mattias Skjelmose
82 Julien Bernard
83 Lennard Kämna
84 Patrick Konrad
85 Jacopo Mosca
86 Mathias Norsgaard
87 Thibau Nys
88 Mads Pedersen
82 Julien Bernard
83 Lennard Kämna
84 Patrick Konrad
85 Jacopo Mosca
86 Mathias Norsgaard
87 Thibau Nys
88 Mads Pedersen
Groupama-FDJ
91 Clément Berthet
92 Olivier Le Gac
93 Valentin Madouas
94 Guillaume Martin Guyonnet
95 Rudy Molard
96 Enzo Paleni
97 Rémy Rochas
98 Bastien Tronchon
92 Olivier Le Gac
93 Valentin Madouas
94 Guillaume Martin Guyonnet
95 Rudy Molard
96 Enzo Paleni
97 Rémy Rochas
98 Bastien Tronchon
Alpecin-Premier Tech
101 Kaden Groves
102 Francesco Busatto
103 Lindsay De Vylder
104 Ramses Debruyne
105 Gal Glivar
106 Michael Gogl
107 Hugo Houle
108 Sente Sentjens
102 Francesco Busatto
103 Lindsay De Vylder
104 Ramses Debruyne
105 Gal Glivar
106 Michael Gogl
107 Hugo Houle
108 Sente Sentjens
NSN
111 Alexey Lutsenko
112 George Bennett
113 Jan Hirt
114 Hugo Hofstetter
115 Moritz Kretschy
116 Pau Marti
117 Nicholas Schultz
118 Floris van Tricht
112 George Bennett
113 Jan Hirt
114 Hugo Hofstetter
115 Moritz Kretschy
116 Pau Marti
117 Nicholas Schultz
118 Floris van Tricht
Soudal Quick-Step
121 Mikel Landa
122 Alberto Dainese
123 Gianmarco Garofoli
124 Ethan Hayter
125 Valentin Paret Peintre
126 Fabio van den Bossche
127 Mauri Vansevenant
128 Filippo Zana
122 Alberto Dainese
123 Gianmarco Garofoli
124 Ethan Hayter
125 Valentin Paret Peintre
126 Fabio van den Bossche
127 Mauri Vansevenant
128 Filippo Zana
Uno-X
131 Magnus Cort Nielsen
132 Simon Dalby
133 Fredrik Dversnes
134 Tobias Johannessen
135 Andreas Kron
136 Andreas Leknessund
137 Rasmus Tiller
138 Martin Tjøtta
132 Simon Dalby
133 Fredrik Dversnes
134 Tobias Johannessen
135 Andreas Kron
136 Andreas Leknessund
137 Rasmus Tiller
138 Martin Tjøtta
Cofidis
141 Emanuel Buchmann
142 Bryan Coquard
143 Alex Kirsch
144 Sylvain Moniquet
145 Paul Ourselin
146 Alexis Renard
147 Louis Rouland
148 Sergio Samitier Samitier
142 Bryan Coquard
144 Sylvain Moniquet
145 Paul Ourselin
146 Alexis Renard
147 Louis Rouland
148 Sergio Samitier Samitier
Jayco AlUla
151 Alessandro Covi
152 Koen Bouwman
153 Paul Double
154 Asbjørn Hellemose
155 Hamish McKenzie
156 Finlay Pickering
157 Rudy Porter
158 Jasha Sütterlin
152 Koen Bouwman
153 Paul Double
154 Asbjørn Hellemose
155 Hamish McKenzie
156 Finlay Pickering
157 Rudy Porter
158 Jasha Sütterlin
EF Education-EasyPost
161 Richard Carapaz
162 Vincenzo Albanese
163 Markel Beloki
164 Alastair MacKellar
165 Darren Rafferty
166 Juan Rodriguez
167 James Shaw
168 Georg Steinhauser
162 Vincenzo Albanese
163 Markel Beloki
164 Alastair MacKellar
165 Darren Rafferty
166 Juan Rodriguez
167 James Shaw
168 Georg Steinhauser
Tudor
171 Marco Brenner
172 William Barta
173 Arthur Kluckers
174 Stefan Küng
175 Roland Thalmann
176 Lawrence Warbasse
177 Fabian Weiss
178 Hannes Wilksch
172 William Barta
173 Arthur Kluckers
174 Stefan Küng
175 Roland Thalmann
176 Lawrence Warbasse
177 Fabian Weiss
178 Hannes Wilksch
XDS-Astana
181 Harold Tejada
182 Yevgeniy Fedorov
183 Lorenzo Fortunato
184 Victor Langellotti
185 Henok Mulubrhan
186 Cristian Rodriguez
187 Alessandro Romele
188 Darren van Bekkum
182 Yevgeniy Fedorov
183 Lorenzo Fortunato
184 Victor Langellotti
185 Henok Mulubrhan
186 Cristian Rodriguez
187 Alessandro Romele
188 Darren van Bekkum
Burgos-BH
191 Jesus Herrada
192 Clement Alleno
193 Mario Aparicio Muñoz
194 Sergio Geovani Chumil (DNF Stage 2, crash)
195 Jose Manuel Diaz
196 Jose Luis Faura Asensio
197 Sinuhe Fernandez Rodriguez
198 Cesar Macias
192 Clement Alleno
193 Mario Aparicio Muñoz
195 Jose Manuel Diaz
196 Jose Luis Faura Asensio
197 Sinuhe Fernandez Rodriguez
198 Cesar Macias
Lotto-Intermarché
201 Jarno Widar
202 Vito Braet
203 Lars Craps
204 Steffen De Schuyteneer
205 Lorenzo Rota
206 Reuben Thompson
207 Luca van Boven
208 Roel van Sintmaartensdijk
202 Vito Braet
203 Lars Craps
204 Steffen De Schuyteneer
205 Lorenzo Rota
206 Reuben Thompson
207 Luca van Boven
208 Roel van Sintmaartensdijk
Picnic PostNL
211 Christopher Hamilton
212 Timo de Jong
213 Mattia Gaffuri
214 Gijs Leemreize
215 Guillermo Juan Martinez
216 Oliver Peace
217 Henri François Renard Haquin
218 Timo Roosen
212 Timo de Jong
213 Mattia Gaffuri
214 Gijs Leemreize
215 Guillermo Juan Martinez
216 Oliver Peace
217 Henri François Renard Haquin
218 Timo Roosen
Equipo Kern Pharma
221 Urko Berrade
222 Marc Brustenga
223 Ivan Cobo
224 Iñigo Elosegui
225 Ibon Ruiz
226 Ivan Sosa
227 Diego Uriarte
228 Mats Wenzel
222 Marc Brustenga
223 Ivan Cobo
224 Iñigo Elosegui
225 Ibon Ruiz
226 Ivan Sosa
227 Diego Uriarte
228 Mats Wenzel
David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
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Latest Comments
- - Grande artículo, pero el nombre del puerto es Envalira, no “Envilara”, no? Pequeño detalle, pero importa en ciclismo.samanthak26-08-2026
- - Pedersen not there after 25 km of climbing is normal, but calling out the others publicly feels harsh. DS could’ve kept that in the bus—morale matters.bikebuffj26-08-2026
- - Not good enough, but not a disaster. If the team tightens up and gives him wheels deep into the penultimate climb, he can claw back seconds on medium-mountain days. Vamos Mattias!jeremya26-08-2026
- - Quick q: what’s the Envilara climb like compared to Tour climbs? Is it high-altitude causing the legs to go pop?tourdeforce926-08-2026
- - Roglič, Mas, Kuss, Onley, Gall all had the punch today. Skjelmose didn’t. But if he really lost a minute in stage 4 last year and still finished strong, there’s precedent. Keep the faith.sprocketspiny26-08-2026
- - Lidl-Trek’s chase was a mess. How do you end up pacing a group your leader isn’t even in? Communication breakdown or just chaos? Doesn’t inspire confidence.jennifer1926-08-2026
- - Sorry, is “two Grand Tours back-to-back” super common for GC riders? Do most guys struggle like this in the first mountain stage when they do it?cyclechamp4526-08-2026
- - Still early days. If he’s carrying Tour legs/fatigue, a week could flip the script. He limited the loss with Carapaz/Widar before cracking on the last climb—damage control could keep a top-5 GC alive.julien26-08-2026
- - That was a rough watch for Skjelmose in Andorra, especially on home roads. Losing 40 seconds isn’t terminal but the worry is how early he was isolated. If Konrad/Kämna/Bernard aren’t there on Envalira, that’s a tactical hole. DS is right to call it out.breakawaybikerd26-08-2026
- - Fair play to Gall—aggressive, grabbed bonuses, and didn’t crack when the hammer dropped. If he limits losses in the next high-alt days, top 5 GC isn’t crazy. Vamos Felix!pedalpowe2925-08-2026
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