2026 Giro d'Italia team-by-team guide - Full squads, leaders and objectives

Decathlon CMA CGM head to the Giro d’Italia with two clear objectives: a podium challenge with Felix Gall and stage wins in the sprints with Tobias Lund Andresen. Gall has shown solid form in the UAE Tour and Volta a Catalunya, and the French team believe he can carry that momentum into the first Grand Tour of the season.

In the mountains, Gall will be supported by Gregor Mühlberger, Callum Scotson and Johannes Staune-Mittet, giving Decathlon CMA CGM a strong climbing block around their GC leader.

For the sprints, Tobias Lund Andresen gives the team a major card after already taking three WorldTour wins this season. Tord Gudmestad, Rasmus Søjberg Pedersen and Oliver Naesen will be key to positioning him in the finales, with Naesen set to make his Giro debut after ten consecutive Tour de France appearances.

Team leader: Felix Gall, Tobias Lund Andresen
Objective: GC podium, sprint stage wins
Rider to watch: Tobias Lund Andresen

Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe head to the Giro d’Italia with a clear GC focus, built around Jai Hindley and Giulio Pellizzari. Hindley returns to the race as a former winner and with strong memories of Blockhaus, where he won in 2022 and where the first major summit finish of this year’s Giro awaits on stage 7.

Pellizzari gives the team a second leadership option for the general classification, as the young Italian continues his development at his home Grand Tour. Aleksandr Vlasov adds another major climbing card, while Giovanni Aleotti and Ben Zwiehoff provide further support in the mountains.

The rest of the squad brings power, control and experience for the flatter and more nervous stages. Mick van Dijke, Gianni Moscon and Nico Denz will be important before the climbs and in positioning battles, with Denz also returning to a race where he has already won three stages.

Team leader: Jai Hindley, Giulio Pellizzari
Objective: General classification, stage wins
Rider to watch: Giulio Pellizzari

Enric Mas will lead Movistar Team at the Giro d’Italia, making his debut at the Corsa Rosa with the aim of fighting as high as possible in the general classification. The Spanish rider brings Grand Tour experience to a balanced squad built to support him across the mountains and transition stages.

Einer Rubio and Javier Romo will be key climbing support, while Juanpe López adds further experience in the Italian race. Nelson Oliveira brings control and road captain qualities, with Lorenzo Milesi offering an option in the individual time trial.

Movistar also have cards for stage wins away from the GC battle. Orluis Aular gives the team speed in bunch sprints, while Iván García Cortina can target punchy stages and explosive finishes.

Team leader: Enric Mas
Objective: General classification, stage wins
Rider to watch: Einer Rubio

Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team head to the Giro d’Italia without a clear GC focus, but with plenty of riders who can make something happen. The plan is to race aggressively, get into breakaways and hunt stage wins whenever the opportunity is there.

In the mountains, David de la Cruz, Chris Harper and Mark Donovan give the team depth for selective stages and climbing breakaways. Sjoerd Bax, Fabio Christen and David González add all-round options for medium mountain and transition days, where the race could open up.

Matteo Moschetti will be the team’s option in the sprints, while Nikolas Zukowsky should be a useful support rider across a range of stages.

Team leader: Matteo Moschetti, David de la Cruz
Objective: Stage wins
Rider to watch: Fabio Christen

Team Picnic PostNL Raisin head to the Giro d’Italia with a revised approach after Max Poole was ruled out as he continues his recovery. Without a GC leader, the team will focus fully on aggressive racing, stage hunting and sprint opportunities across the three weeks.

Casper van Uden gives the Dutch squad a clear card in the bunch finishes, especially after taking the team’s first win of the season at the Tour of Turkey. He will be backed by what the team calls its "Orange Train", with Timo de Jong and Tim Naberman among the riders expected to help position him in the finales.

For the harder stages, the team have several breakaway options. Frank van den Broek, Warren Barguil, Chris Hamilton and Gijs Leemreize all bring climbing ability and Grand Tour experience, while Sean Flynn adds further versatility across rolling terrain.

Team leader: Casper van Uden
Objective: Sprint stages, breakaway stage wins
Rider to watch: Frank van den Broek

Santiago Buitrago will lead Bahrain Victorious at the Giro d’Italia, with the Colombian targeting the general classification after making the race one of his major goals for the season. He has already won two Giro stages in his career and arrives with the ambition of fighting for a top five overall.

Buitrago will be supported by an experienced climbing group, led by Damiano Caruso, who finished fifth at last year’s Giro and is set for his final appearance in the race. Afonso Eulálio and Edoardo Zambanini add further depth in the mountains, while Zambanini could also be an option in reduced finishes.

Bahrain also bring several stage hunting cards. Alec Segaert should have freedom in transition stages and will be one to watch from long range and in the long time trial, while Fran Miholjević and Mathijs Paasschens offer support across rolling and flatter terrain. Robert Stannard comes in as a late replacement for Matevž Govekar, who misses the race due to a minor injury.

Team leader: Santiago Buitrago
Objective: General classification, stage wins
Rider to watch: Alec Segaert

Adam Yates will lead UAE Team Emirates-XRG at the Giro d’Italia in the absence of João Almeida, who has been ruled out after setbacks in his recovery from a viral infection. Yates arrives after winning O Gran Camiño in April and will be targeting the general classification in what will be his third appearance at the Giro.

The team brings plenty of climbing depth and stage-hunting options, with Jay Vine and Marc Soler both capable of animating the mountains. Jhonatan Narváez adds proven Giro pedigree as a two-time stage winner, while Jan Christen and António Morgado will both make their Grand Tour debuts.

Igor Arrieta offers further support in the hills and mountains, while Mikkel Bjerg rounds out the squad after a busy Classics campaign.

Team leader: Adam Yates
Objective: General classification, stage wins
Rider to watch: Jan Christen

Michael Storer returns to the Giro d’Italia after finishing tenth overall in 2025, and the Australian climber will be hoping to improve on that result after a strong build-up that included fourth place at the Tour of the Alps. He will share leadership duties with Mathys Rondel, who has taken a clear step forward this season with strong results in the UAE Tour, Paris-Nice and the Tour of the Alps.

In the mountains, Storer and Rondel will be supported by Will Barta, Larry Warbasse and Florian Stork, with the latter also a possible candidate for breakaway success after coming close to a Giro stage win last year. For the sprints, Tudor will look to Luca Mozzato, who joined from Arkéa B&B Hotels and showed good form in the spring with second place at Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne.

Mozzato will be guided in the finales by Swiss duo Fabian Lienhard and Robin Froidevaux, giving Tudor options across a wide range of stages.

Team leader: Michael Storer, Mathys Rondel
Objective: General classification, stage wins, sprint stages
Rider to watch: Mathys Rondel

Kaden Groves will be aiming to win for the third time at the Giro, having won stages in 2023 and 2025. The Australian sprinter will be supported by key lieutenant Edward Planckaert, Jonas Geens and Jensen Plowright.

Johan Price-Pejtersen is a powerhouse and could have his eyes set on causing an upset in the individual time trial. Tobias Bayer and Luca Vergallito could feature in plenty of mountain breakaways, while Francesco Busatto could also make some breakaways and has a punchy finish, which could help in said scenarios.

Team leader: Kaden Groves
Objective: Sprint stages, points classification
Rider to watch: Luca Vergallito

Lidl-Trek start the Giro d’Italia with a squad built for both sprint wins and the GC. Jonathan Milan returns after missing last year’s race and comes in as one of the top favourites for the bunch sprints and the points classification. He already has four Giro stage wins and two ciclamino jerseys from his previous two appearances.

For the GC, Lidl-Trek can look to Derek Gee-West, who finished fourth in last year’s Giro and now rides his first Grand Tour for the team. Giulio Ciccone adds another major climbing option, with three Giro stage wins and a mountains classification already on his palmarès.

Around Milan, the team brings a strong sprint train with Simone Consonni, Tim Torn Teutenberg and Max Walscheid. Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier and Matteo Sobrero add experience, climbing support and breakaway options.

Team leader: Jonathan Milan and Derek Gee-West
Objective: Sprint stages, points classification and GC
Rider to watch: Giulio Ciccone

XDS Astana head to the Giro d’Italia with a well balanced team and options for almost every kind of stage. Last year, the team had a strong race in Italy, with Christian Scaroni winning stage sixteen and Lorenzo Fortunato taking the mountains classification. Fortunato will not return to defend that jersey, but Scaroni is back as a dangerous rider for hilly stages and breakaways.

Alberto Bettiol is another big name in the squad. The former Tour of Flanders winner has already ridden the Giro three times and won a stage in 2021 after a hilly finale into Stradella. Astana also bring plenty of experience with Diego Ulissi, who has won eight Giro stages in his career and knows exactly how to finish off an opportunity.

For the sprints, the team can look to Matteo Malucelli, who will make his Grand Tour debut at the age of 32. Davide Ballerini gives them another fast option, especially after his recent stage win at the Tour of Turkey. In the mountains, Harold Martín López looks like the main name for a possible GC result.

Team leader: Harold Martín López
Objective: Stage wins and a possible GC result
Rider to watch: Christian Scaroni

Ethan Vernon will lead the line in the sprints, with Jake Stewart and Corbin Strong as both options. Dion Smith and Ryan Mullen provide the powerful engines in the team. 

Alessandro Pinarello is a dark horse for a top 10 finish in GC and will be supported by Jan Hirt, who has finished 6th and 8th previously, as well as the versatile Nick Schultz.

Team leader: Ethan Vernon
Objective: Stage wins
Rider to watch: Alessandro Pinarello

The French team have announced their line-up, featuring six home riders. The experienced duo of Cyril Barthe, Rémi Cavagna, and Rémy Rochas return to the Giro; meanwhile, Axel Huens, Paul Penhoët, and Brieuc Rolland make their Giro debuts.

The team is rounded out by Swiss rider Johan Jacobs, making his Giro debut, and Kiwi Josh Kench who will make his Grand Tour debut, having joined the WorldTour team this season from Chinese continental team Li Ning Star.

Team leader: Rémi Cavagna
Objective: Stage wins
Rider to watch: Brieuc Rolland

In 2019, it was team owner Bas Tietema who began by making YouTube videos during the Tour de France. That project gradually evolved into a professional cycling team, which made its Continental debut in 2023 and is set to line up in a Grand Tour for the first time in 2026. An extraordinary rise that challenges many of the sport’s traditional conventions.

But the Rockets are not here just to make up the numbers. With five victories so far this season, four of them courtesy of Dylan Groenewegen, the French outfit has every reason to target real results. With Marcel Kittel acting as sprint coach, and the experience of Groenewegen himself alongside Elmar Reinders in the lead-out train, the ambition is clear: to make history by taking a stage win in one of the sprints.

Away from the fast finishes, the team also has options. Wout Poels provides a strong card in the mountains, while Tomáš Kopecký could emerge as a surprise contender in the transition stages.

Team leader: Dylan Groenewegen
Objective: Stage wins
Rider to watch: Tomáš Kopecký

Uno-X Mobility has confirmed their eight-rider squad for their first Giro d'Italia as a WorldTeam, with 22-year-old Johannes Kulset taking on the GC leadership in his second appearance at the race. Anders Skaarseth had been named in earlier team interviews as the planned road captain but is not in the final line-up, with the experience instead provided by Andreas Leknessund and Markus Hoelgaard. 

The Norwegian outfit steps up to the WorldTour for 2026, the first Norwegian team ever to do so, and the Giro is the first of the three Grand Tours they are now obliged to start under top-tier rules. 

Uno-X have framed their objectives modestly but clearly: a top-ten on GC for Kulset as part of his long-term development, and stage wins across the three Grand Tours through aggressive, breakaway-focused racing.

Team leader: Johannes Kulset
Objective: Stage wins and top ten in the GC
Rider to watch: Erlend Blikra

Polti Visit Malta start their sixth Giro d’Italia in a row with a team built around breakaways, aggressive racing and sprint chances for Giovanni Lonardi. The Italian sprinter gives the team an option on the flatter days, but most of their hopes will likely come from the early moves and harder transition stages.

The team arrives in good spirits after a recent one two at the Giro dell’Appennino, where young Ludovico Crescioli won ahead of teammate Thomas Pesenti. Both riders are part of the Giro squad. Alessandro Tonelli, Mirco Maestri, Diego Sevilla and Mattia Bais bring experience and should be regulars in the breakaways.

Andrea Mifsud completes the line-up and makes history as the first Maltese rider to start a Grand Tour.

Team leader: Giovanni Lonardi
Objective: Stage win from a sprint or breakaway
Rider to watch: Ludovico Crescioli

Bardiani-CSF 7 Saber go into the Giro d’Italia with a young team and a clear focus on stage hunting. The Italian squad will want to be visible in the breakaways and make the most of the open, unpredictable stages.

Vicente Rojas, the Chilean national champion, looks like one of their main cards, while Martin Marcellusi and Luca Paletti give the team options on harder days. Manuele Tarozzi brings experience and attacking spirit, having won last year’s Red Bull Kilometer classification after spending more than 500 kilometres on the attack. 

For the sprints, Bardiani will look to Enrico Zanoncello.

Team leader: Vicente Rojas
Objective: Stage win
Rider to watch: Luca Paletti