Who rides what: Racing bikes and equipment of the 2026 World Tour teams

New season, new material: During the winter break, it wasn't just the personnel carousel that was spinning at the 18 World Tour teamsThere have also been some exciting changes to the racing equipment. For example, Cube, one of the most popular bike manufacturers from Germany, will no longer be represented in the elite echelons of cycling this year. As reported, the supplier contract ended due to the merger of the partner team Intermarché-Wanty and Lotto. Cube then joined the second-class Total Energies team from France.

With Factor and Look, two more bike manufacturers left the World Tour in 2026. While Look is no longer part of the Pro Series due to the relegation of the traditional racing team Cofidis to the Pro SeriesFactor was eliminated as a result of the turbulence surrounding Israel Prime Minister Tech. In future, the team will compete as the NSN Cycling TeamThe team now has Scott bikes at its disposal under the Swiss flag.

Another farewell is likely to break the hearts of Campa fans in particular: The traditional company from Vicenza will not be represented in the World Tour in 2024, as the Italians only supply one professional team with shifting components, the now second-class Cofidis. However, the rules of the cycling world federation UCI offer consolation to all supporters of the Italian luxury brand: Cofidis, and therefore also Campagnolo, is one of the three best-placed pro teams at the start of the most important races. This also applies to the season highlight, the Tour de France (4 to 26 July).

Speaking of shifting components: Shimano continues to equip most of the teams this season. Ten World Tour teams rely on the Japanese company's drivetrain, or more precisely its top-of-the-range Dura-Ace model. However, the industry giant "lost" four teams compared to last year. Accordingly, the Decathlon CMA CGM, EF Education-Easypost, NSN Cycling and Uno-X-Mobility 2026 teams will be equipped by US rival SRAM with its high-end Red AXS groupset.

>> This article will be updated on an ongoing basis.

Alpecin-Premier Tech

In addition to a new team sponsor, Premier Tech replaces Deceuninck, the team around superstar Mathieu van der Poel relies on proven material. The Canyon Aeroad CFR, one of the fastest bikes in the world, serves as the main work tool. According to reports, the current model, which has only been on the market since summer 2024, is due for an update soon. At the very least, pictures recently appeared online showing Van der Poel on a training ride on a slightly modified Aeroad. The cockpit with its curved upper handlebar stood out in particular. When asked, the Koblenz-based company kept a low profile. With the Ultimate, the supplier from Koblenz would also have a race specialist for mountain stages in its portfolio, but the lightweight model will probably no longer be seen in the World Tour. The Speedmax serves as a time trial bike, like the Aeroad in the highest quality level called CFR (Canyon Factory Racing).

Bahrain-Victorious

Following the demise of Arkea-B&B Hotels, Bianchi was also threatened with the loss of a traditional manufacturer in the World Tour. However, the Italians found what they were looking for elsewhere and will equip the Bahrain-Victorious team in 2026. The team led by Phil Bauhaus (Bocholt) and Nikias Arndt (Buchholz) rode with Merida racing bikes for nine years, but the partnership expired at the end of last year. "Further details on Merida's World Tour plans will be announced in due course," the Taiwanese company announced at the time. This season, however, the Reacto & Co. will not be seen on the big cycling stage. Bahrain-Victorious will contest most of the races on the aerodynamically optimised Oltre RC. The lightweight Specialissima RC will probably only be seen in the high mountains and with climbing specialists such as Lenny Martinez (France). Exciting: with Elilee, the racing team is relying on cranks and power meters from a previously relatively unknown manufacturer from China.

Decathlon CMA CGM Team

The French team will not only operate under a new name in 2026: Decathlon CMA CGM instead of Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale. The team led by Felix Gall (Austria) also made a decisive change to the drivetrain: instead of Shimano's Dura-Ace, the mechanics will in future screw SRAM's Red AXS onto Van Rysel's frames. These remain unchanged compared to last season. The pros have the fast RCR-F and that something lighter RCR-R available. Decathlon CMA CGM is the only team on the road with wheels from Swiss Side. Both companies, Van Rysel and the Swiss specialist for aerodynamically optimised products, maintain a close partnership. Swiss Side was involved in the development of the RCR-F as well as the futuristic concept bike that Decathlon's own brand presented at Velofollies at the beginning of the year.

EF Education-EasyPost

The US team will be competing in 2026 with completely revamped equipment. The most important change concerns the race bike: main sponsor Cannondale is providing EF Education-Easypost with a new version of the SuperSix Evo. The new generation had not yet been officially unveiled at the start of the season in Australia. Based on our impressions so far - the novelty was raced for the first time at the Women's Tour Down Under - the bike should remain true to its character as an all-rounder. From the team's perspective, the SuperSix Evo also has to manage the balancing act of speed and lightweight construction, as Cannondale currently has no alternative in its portfolio. The US brand no longer offers the SystemSix as a proven expert, EF Education-Easypost has already pursued a one-wheel strategy in the recent past. The switch from Shimano to SRAM and from Rapha to Assos is also new. It will be interesting to see whether the Swiss clothing manufacturer presents similarly creative (special) jerseys that have regularly attracted attention to the EF team.

Groupama-FDJ United

Wilier is providing Stefan Küng's former team - the time trial specialist is now in the service of Tudor Pro Cycling - with a revised Filante SLR. According to the Italian bike manufacturer, the new generation of the race all-rounder has made a leap forward, particularly in terms of aerodynamics. The Filante SLR ID2 is around 14 per cent faster than its predecessor, which needed 214 watts to overcome its own air resistance in the TOUR test. The main workhorse should also benefit from the new wheels from Miche, which Wilier's own brand presented shortly before the start of the season. The Verticale SLR is intended for use in the mountains, but is unlikely to be seen often due to the all-round character of the Filante. With iGP Sport, the French team is also presenting a new and still relatively unknown partner from China. The company from Wuhan specialises in bike computers, and Groupama-FDJ United will be using the BiNavi model.

Ineos Grenadiers

Will Oscar Onley, fourth in last year's Tour de France, take his next step on a Pinarello and can the Scot help the Ineos Grenadiers team to regain its lustre? That remains to be seen. What is certain, however, is that the once so successful racing team with the Dogma F of the Italian luxury brand continues to pursue a one-wheel strategy. While the frameset remained unchanged, the team led by race director Geraint Thomas changed the wheel supplier. Scope is now responsible for the material, after Shimano was the last sponsor. Officially at least, because the mechanics recently fitted Princeton wheels between the fork and frame for individual stages and the time trial.

Lidl Trek

The "new" team with a German licence instead of a US licence will start with unchanged equipment: the Madone SLR and the Speed Concept SLR. Interesting for all amateur biomechanics and bike fitting specialists: Jonathan Milan, best sprinter at the Tour de France 2025, worked on his seating position during the winter months. "We changed the frame size of the bike and widened the handlebars," says the Italian: "We can save a lot of energy this way." The 1.94-metre giant wants to fulfil his childhood dream this season and wear the pink jersey at the Giro d'Italia.

Lotto Intermarché

Lotto Cycling brings its main sponsor Orbea to the merged team. Georg Zimmermann (Augsburg) and Jonas Rutsch (Erbach) therefore had to get used to new equipment, as the German duo were last seen racing on Cube bikes at Intermarché-Wanty. Like the Bavarian manufacturer, the Basques also have two bikes to choose from: The Orca Aero for fast stages and the Orca for sections with high altitude metres. The wheels are also a Basque development, as Oquo is Orbea's own brand.

Movistar Team

Alongside Alpecin-Premier Tech, the Spaniards are the second team to be supplied with bikes by Canyon. This means that Movistar will primarily use the Aeroad CFR and possibly switch to a revised version during the season. The team, which is traditionally peppered with climbing specialists, could also fall back on the Ultimate CFR, but the lightweight model was hardly ever seen at Movistar last year.

NSN Cycling Team

Scott is back in the World Tour. The Swiss manufacturer supplies the new NSN Cycling Team with racing bikes after no longer being represented in the elite league of cycling last year and instead supplying the second-class Q36.5 team led by superstar Tom Pidcock. The team, based in Spain, is spoilt for choice: both the fast Foil RC as well as the lightweight Addict RC are among the best in the world. In the TOUR test, both top models earned the dream score of 1.5. NSN Cycling emerged from the Israel Premier-Tech team, which made its licence available after a chaotic 2025 season. With the return of Scott, one bike manufacturer also had to leave the World Tour in Factor. The British-Taiwanese manufacturer had recently presented a spectacular bike, the One, which it claimed was the fastest UCI-compliant racing bike in the world. A small consolation for Factor fans: the bikes can still be seen in the Women's World Tour with Team Human Powered Health. In contrast to Israel Premier-Tech, NSN also uses shifting components from SRAM and no longer Shimano.

Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe

The most important change to date at the Raubling-based racing team is not to be found in the material, but in the personnel. After all, Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe has high hopes for Remco Evenepoel. Like his team-mates around Tour bronze medallist Florian Lipowitz, the Belgian double Olympic champion from 2024 is riding on unchanged equipment: With the S-Works version of the Tarmac SL 8 from Specialized, the Red Bull pros have one of the best competition bikes in the world at their disposal. The US brand introduced the current generation in 2023 as part of the World Championships in Glasgow/Scotland and earned the top score of 1.5 in the TOUR test. However, given the now only average aero performance (209 watts), we wouldn't be surprised if Specialized were to present a faster version of the Tarmac during the season.

Soudal Quick-Step

Soudal Quick-Step will also be equipped by Specialized - and may be able to benefit from an update of the S-Works Tarmac SL8 over the course of the year. In contrast to the pros at Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, Maximilian Schachmann (Berlin) & Co. change gears with Shimano components. Otherwise, components and accessories from Specialized and its own brand Roval dominate the team's appearance.

Team Jayco AlUla

When the Giant Propel was used for the first time at the Tour de France almost four years ago and was officially presented shortly afterwards, it symbolised the category of a modern race all-rounder. Low weight and top aerodynamics: this earned the bike the TOUR top rating for a long time. Now that Jayco AlUla's main workhorse has been ousted from the top spot by comparable models, a successor could emerge in the course of the season. The Propel in the top version Advanced SL will also be the main workhorse of Jayco newcomer Pascal Ackermann (Kandel). The TCR would also provide the Australian racing team with a lightweight specialist. The team will be recognisable by its purple MAAP jerseys.

Team Picnic PostNL

For the second year in a row, the Picnic-PostNL team is riding with Lapierre equipment. As the traditional manufacturer from Dijon/France has streamlined its fleet in recent years and removed the aerodynamically optimised Aircode DRS from its range, experienced rider John Degenkolb (Gera) will "only" have one model at his disposal in 2026: the versatile Xelius DRS. Shortly before the start of the World Tour, the team announced that it would be using Michelin tyres in future. Last year, Vittoria was still the supplier of the tyres. There is a "division of labour" for the wheels: For regular stages, the team uses models from Ursus such as the Proxima R 60 Team, In the time trial, Picnic PostNL uses wheels from Scope.

Team Visma | Lease a Bike

The Visma | Lease a Bike team fleet reads as staccato as Jonas Vingegaard's (Denmark) pedalling looks on the mountain: S5, R5 and P5 are the names of Cervélo's bikes. As before, however, the main focus will be on the aerodynamic S-model at Vingegaard & Co. Both models were newly introduced in 2025, which is why no changes are expected here during the season. In addition to shoes, Nimbl will also provide the team with racing suits in future. In the previous season, the Dutch racing team launched its own collection under the Yellow B label. The drivetrain components will continue to come from SRAM, which means that 1x13 configurations are likely to be seen again. The wheel and tyre combination also remains unchanged: Reserve and Vittoria are supplying the team.

UAE Team Emirates-XRG

Hardly any professional model made more waves in the pre-season than the Colnago Y1Rs. On the one hand, the UAE Team Emirates-XRG racing machine attracted attention with its spectacular frame design. On the other hand, this was of course due to Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia), who rode the bike in his countless one-day and overall victories - even with a special paint job during the Tour de France. The Y1Rs and "Pogi" will remain the racing machines to beat for the competition in 2026. The lighter V5Rs of the traditional Italian brand will remain in the team truck or on the support vehicles at many events. Last year, Nils Politt (Cologne) was the only rider to consistently ride the V-model. In keeping with the motto "Never change a running system", the dominant racing team of the recent past also continues to ride with components from Shimano (drivetrain/gears), Enve (wheels) and Continental (tyres). The tuning parts from CarbonTi (brake discs) or Bikone (bottom bracket) will also continue to be seen on the bikes of Pogačar and his noble helper Politt.

Uno-X Mobility

The World Tour newcomer from Norway has won the Noah Fast 3.0 continues to be one of the most striking "aero flounders" in use. Ridley's racer remains the preferred workhorse in the Scandinavian-influenced team. The Falcn RS would be available as an option. The race all-rounder saves weight, but is likely to be a class slower aerodynamically. Uno-X Mobility was one of four teams to switch from Shimano to SRAM. With DT Swiss, the team led by Tour of Germany winner Søren Wærenskjold (Norway) relies on wheels that are particularly popular with amateur riders.

XDS Astana Team

The XDS Astana team secretly developed into the fourth strongest force in 2025, leaving Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe and others behind in the UCI's world rankings. The equipment from Chinese manufacturer X-Lab is almost more inconspicuous. This has less to do with the design of the bike available to Max Kanter (Cottbus) & Co. Rather, it is due to the fact that there is hardly any reliable information about the AD9. So far, invitations for a wind tunnel test at TOUR have come to nothing. In addition to the frameset, the Kazakh racing team will also be sourcing the GPS computer from Magene in China in 2026. Like iGP Sport, the company, which also specialises in power meters and roller trainers, is represented in the World Tour for the first time with Groupama-FDJ United.