2026 Vuelta a España youth classification favourites | Cycling's stars of the future do battle for the White Jersey
CyclingFriday, 21 August 2026 at 14:28
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Follow us on GoogleTadej Pogacar is, on paper, head and shoulders above the rest in the general classification, the Vuelta a España. Barring crashes or illness affecting the Slovenian rider from UAE Emirates-XRG, the Tour of Spain will be a battle for second and third place. Fortunately, there’s also a young riders’ classification, for which Pogačar is too old to compete, giving the rising stars of the future a chance to really break through. Here are our ten stand out picks the white jersey.
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More IDL Pro Cycling Vuelta a España guides:
- 2026 Vuelta a España route preview
- General Classification favorites
- Favorites for the mountains classification
- Favorites for the Points Classification
- Fantasy cycling tips for the 2026 Vuelta a España
- General Classification favorites
- Favorites for the mountains classification
- Favorites for the Points Classification
- Fantasy cycling tips for the 2026 Vuelta a España
Recent Winners of the Young Riders Classification in the Vuelta a España
2025 Matthew Riccitello
2024 Mattias Skjelmose
2023 Juan Ayuso
2022 Remco Evenepoel
2022 Gino Mäder
2021 Enric Mas
2019 Tadej Pogacar
2018 Enric Mas
2017 Miguel Ángel López
2024 Mattias Skjelmose
2023 Juan Ayuso
2022 Remco Evenepoel
2022 Gino Mäder
2021 Enric Mas
2019 Tadej Pogacar
2018 Enric Mas
2017 Miguel Ángel López
Matthew Riccitello in 2025, wearing the white youth jersey
Favorites in the Young Riders Classification for the 2026 Vuelta a España
Riders born after January 1, 2001, are eligible for the white jersey in the Tour of Spain.
10. Marco Brenner (23) - Tudor
Of course, he won the Tour of Poland, but don’t expect miracles just yet from the 23-year-old German, who finally seems to have rediscovered his legendary legs. There weren’t any real high mountains in Poland, so Brenner will get to show the big boys just how far he can go on a grueling course with near-daily double-digit gradients.
That doesn’t change the fact that, with his overall victory in Poland, Brenner has partially lived up to his promise, as the climber had been regarded as a top talent for years. After his move from Team DSM to Tudor in 2024, there were glimpses of what he might be capable of, but the Vuelta could very well be his real breakthrough. That said, we also see Brenner as a formidable attacker for the coming weeks.
Marco Brenner
9. Luke Tuckwell (22) - Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe
The Australian is gearing up for his very first Grand Tour, and we’re curious to see what Tuckwell can do in three weeks. The runner-up in the 2025 Giro NextGen also finished tenth in the Tour de l'Avenir, and his greatest achievement this year was undoubtedly his second-place finish in the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
After spending a day in the breakaway, he suddenly found himself in the leader’s jersey and managed to limit his losses in the final days, securing a spot on the final podium. The competition in the Vuelta is fierce, and Tuckwell is certainly not the top favorite in the high mountains. But there’s a realistic chance he’ll wear the white jersey for a while at some point.
Tuckwell (left), next to Isaac del Toro and Juan Ayuso.
8. Jarno Widar (20) - Lotto-Intermarché
The Belgian climber and puncher might have ranked higher on this list if he hadn’t struggled with physical setbacks throughout the entire year of 2026. He was sick several times, battled a knee injury, and as a result was never able to compete for any extended period. After the Tour de Suisse and a training block, he seemed to be on the right track for the Vuelta, but he fell ill again in Burgos.
For that reason, there’s a small question mark next to Widar’s name; he may have to find his stride in the Vuelta and put the general classification out of his mind. In his debut in a Grand Tour, going for stage wins might be a more realistic goal, but if he turns out to be in good form, Widar will immediately be a favorite for the white jersey. We point to all his performances in the U23 category, which speak for themselves.
Jarno Widar
7. Jakob Omrzel (20) - Bahrain Victorious
It’s a bit of a guessing game right now when it comes to the form of the young riders, because there’s a whole group of top talents who are all very evenly matched on paper. Widar is one of them, but Jakob Omrzel of Bahrain Victorious is definitely among the rough diamonds for the future as well. The No. 6 finisher in the Tour of the Alps and No. 3 finisher in the Tour of Slovenia is also making his Grand Tour debut.
So it remains to be seen how well Omrzel will perform. He has raced in only two one-day races since the Slovenian Road Championship. The very young Slovenian won the Giro NextGen in 2025 and is seen in his home country as the successor to Tadej Pogacar. No pressure. Normally, he’s the type to dig in and fight his way up the general classification when given a free role. But whether that will pay off remains to be seen.
Jakob Omrzel
6. Jørgen Nordhagen (21) - Visma | Lease a Bike
A year older, a year better? Nordhagen, too, has been touted as a future superstar for years, and perhaps that future will begin in the Vuelta. He’s also a rookie, and a year older than Widar and Omrzel. Nordhagen had actually already completed the U23 circuit in 2024, which led to his move to the Visma | Lease a Bike WorldTour team.
Illness, adjusting to the team, and supporting riders like team leader Jonas Vingegaard meant that Nordhagen wasn’t always able to ride on his own right away, but in the Vuelta, that seems to be the case as he teams up with Ben Tulett. In the Tour of Burgos, Nordhagen seemed to get better with each passing day—perhaps just in time for a starring role in the Vuelta a España.
Jørgen Nordhagen
5. Ben Tulett (24) - Visma | Lease a Bike
As mentioned, Nordhagen rides for Visma alongside Tulett, and the 24-year-old Brit seems to have the edge when it comes to the general classification—and thus the white jersey—in the Vuelta. Things didn’t go great in Burgos, but in the Clásica San Sebastián, Tulett finished third after a long training block. Getting riders into top form at just the right moment—you can leave that to Visma.
For Tulett, this will be only the third Grand Tour of his career, but it’s the first one he’s been working toward all year. This is the big goal; this is where it has to happen. The fact that Tulett isn’t among the top three on this list isn’t due to a lack of ambition, but mainly to the fact that he has never truly proven himself in a Grand Tour.
Ben Tulett at the Vuelta team presentation
4. Carlos Rodriguez (25) - Netcompany INEOS
The veteran on this list—it’s actually bizarre that Rodriguez is still only 25 years old. The Spanish climber has been competing for years and has a very strong track record in Grand Tours. Although he’s crashed multiple times in nearly every season, he’s already finished fifth and seventh in the Tour de France and seventh and tenth in the Vuelta.
His high ranking on this list is based solely on the fact that Rodriguez almost always delivers in a Grand Tour. He’s a tough rider, and one who can improve as the race goes on. Although Netcompany INEOS has a different team leader, Rodriguez (provided he stays on his bike) can operate in the shadows and thus work toward another top finish in his home country.
Carlos Rodriguez
3. Cian Uijtdebroeks (23) - Movistar
After missing the Tour de France due to illness, the Belgian is heading to the Vuelta with a desire for redemption, and although the entire nation is focused on Enric Mas, a standout performance by Uijtdebroeks is by no means out of the question. He had been improving throughout the season leading up to the Tour, but he immediately fell ill during the opening weekend and ended up withdrawing during the first week.
Uijtdebroeks hasn’t raced in recent weeks, so in theory he should be well-prepared to tackle the Vuelta. There’s always something holding this climber back; he’s withdrawn from his last three Grand Tours and has faced numerous physical issues throughout his career. The Vuelta could be his turning point, especially with a rock-solid Movistar team.
Cian Uijtdebroeks
2. Matthew Riccitello (24) - Decathlon CMA CGM
Of course, all eyes are on Felix Gall at Decathlon, and that’s probably for good reason. The runner-up in the Giro d’Italia won the Tour of Burgos and seems ready to compete for the title of “best of the rest.” Unlike Paul Seixas in the Tour de France, the Austrian appears to be getting help in the Vuelta from an outstanding Riccitello.
The American struggled for a while in the Tour de France after a crash, but really came into his own in the final week. Did he build up enough strength there for the Vuelta? He finished fifth there last year and won the white jersey, so he’ll be starting as the “defending champion.” The Vuelta route suits him well, and we wouldn’t rule out the possibility that Riccitello will be just behind—or perhaps even on par with—Gall in terms of form.
Matthew Riccitello took a fall during the Tour de France, and it bothered him for quite a while
1. Oscar Onley (23) - Netcompany INEOS
The top favorite for the white jersey is from Great Britain and rides for a British team. Oscar Onley finished fourth in the 2025 Tour de France, where he made a big impression three weeks ago with his climbing skills. After a year of setbacks with his new team, INEOS, things finally seem to be going well for him in recent months.
After a rigorous training block, Onley won a stage at the Tour of Burgos, where he closed the gap on Gall to within 5 seconds in the overall standings. The Vuelta route is ideal for him as well, especially with a strong Carlos Rodriguez by his side. He can climb, sprint, and is no slouch on the time trial bike either.
Oscar Onley
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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
- - Vamos Pogi! Conoce cada curva en Monaco. Pero ojo, TT técnica + calor = errores fáciles. Força campeón, pero respeto a los demás, la Vuelta nunca es “fácil.”davidm21-08-2026
- - The article undersells recovery. Two peak blocks so close—Tour into Vuelta—then Worlds/Euros/Lombardia? That’s brutal. Not sure UAE can control all three weeks if he tries to bank energy.cyclechamp4521-08-2026
- - Starting in Monaco suits him, but I don’t see him taking red day one. Specialists like Evenepoel or Ganna (if selected) should be quicker on a twisty prologue. The real gaps will come on the first summit finish.bikebuffj21-08-2026
- - Is it normal that riders can’t sleep at home if the race passes their city? How do they enforce that? Curious how strict the Vuelta is on that rule.andrewf21-08-2026
- - Love Tadej’s attitude shutting down the “weak field” narrative. Roglič, Ayuso, Evenepoel’s TT form, and a stacked Ineos make this anything but easy. Monaco TT could be spicy with those technical corners.pedalpowe2921-08-2026
- - Carapaz for GC over KOM after that Tour show? Hm. Risky. EF might pivot fast if he loses time early—El Jaguar loves a jersey hunt.breakawaybikerd20-08-2026
- - Santiago Buitrago has been inconsistent, yeah, but writing him off is harsh. He only needs one big raid to flip the table. Remember Laigueglia form didn’t vanish—maybe it’s timing his peak.sprocketspiny20-08-2026
- - Paret-Peintre feels underrated here. He clearly targets jerseys and stages, and with Pog and Carapaz eyeing GC, he’ll roam. Could be the sleeper polka-dot.tourdeforce920-08-2026
- - I’m a bit lost on the two subcategories for first-category climbs—does “upon arrival” mean stage finish only, and “along route” is any non-finish 1st-cat? And do both award points to 5 riders?robert6520-08-2026
- - Lorenzo Fortunato at 57kg on Spanish walls? Sí señor. If he finds Giro 2025 legs, he’ll dance on Alguacil. Forza Lorenzo!cadencekingm20-08-2026
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