Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogacar is poised to make history at this year’s Tour de France, aiming to join an elite group of five-time winners of the race. The 24-year-old, who has claimed the title twice consecutively before, enters the 2026 edition with strong form following overall victories at the Tour de Romandie and Tour de Suisse. His only recent blemish came in the Classics, where he was narrowly defeated by Wout van Aert in the Paris-Roubaix sprint. Pogacar will rely on a deep and experienced UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad, including notable riders such as Adam Yates, Brandon McNulty, and Isaac Del Toro, who also carry leadership ambitions.
The main challenger is expected to be Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark, the two-time Tour runner-up who claimed victory at the Giro d’Italia earlier in the season. Vingegaard faces the challenge of maintaining peak condition after his grueling Giro win, as well as the formidable presence of Pogacar, who completed the rare Giro-Tour double in 2024, a feat last achieved by Marco Pantani in 1998.
Other contenders include Remco Evenepoel, the Belgian rider who recently joined Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and shares leadership duties with teammate Florian Lipowitz, last year’s best young rider and third-place finisher. The dynamic between Evenepoel and Lipowitz will be a key subplot in the race, with team unity critical to mounting a credible threat against Pogacar.
Adding an element of unpredictability is 19-year-old French rider Paul Seixas, making his Grand Tour debut. Seixas comes into the race with notable victories at the Itzulia Basque Country and La Flèche Wallonne and strong performances in one-day races, including second place finishes to Pogacar at Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Strade Bianche. However, his form is uncertain after a crash and withdrawal from the Criterium du Dauphiné. Known for excelling on short, steep climbs, Seixas will face a stern introduction to the demanding three-week Tour route, including multiple ascents of Alpe d’Huez. Race organizers have drawn attention by assigning him the number 51 bib, traditionally associated with legendary debut winners such as Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault, intensifying expectations.
Isaac del Toro, a young Mexican rider supporting Pogacar, is also emerging as a potential podium contender, carrying forward the legacy of strong domestiques who have achieved top finishes in recent years.
Meanwhile, the Netcompany-Ineos team, once dominant under Chris Froome’s leadership, continues its rebuild after failing to secure a Grand Tour win since Egan Bernal’s 2021 Giro victory. With new financial backing and promising talents like Josh Tarling and Filippo Ganna, Ineos is considered a favorite for the opening team time trial in Barcelona. Riders Thymen Arensman and Kevin Vauquelin are viewed as possible top-10 finishers, but the team is still striving to regain its former dominance.
As the race begins with the Grand Départ in Barcelona, the spotlight remains on Pogacar’s quest to solidify his standing among the greatest cyclists in history. Observers suggest the central question is not whether he can be defeated, but rather how far he can extend his record at the Tour de France.