The teams

TdF Goals: Win the Tour with Tadej Pogačar — control the mountains and squeeze time whenever the route turns uphill.

Set a fierce tempo for Pogačar on climbs; Almeida, Yates, and Narváez handle pacing, positioning, and late-race damage control.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: UAE can turn routine climbing days into a pace test for the whole peloton when Pogačar's lieutenants go to the front early.

TdF Goals: Dual GC anchors — Roglič and Evenepoel — limit losses early, then attack in the final week.

Roglič and Evenepoel share the mountain block; aggressive tempo on the highest passes; Lipowitz as long-range insurance.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: Bora-Red Bull stack Roglič and Evenepoel — watch for aggressive tempo once the final mountain block begins.

TdF Goals: Put Jonas Vingegaard back on the top step — disciplined climbing blocks and no gift days in the crosswinds.

Collective Visma control for Vingegaard in the Alps and Pyrenees; Aert adds punch on semi-selective days.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: Visma matter most when the race rewards collective discipline — tempo, positioning, and patience before the decisive climbs.

TdF Goals: Split ambitions: Milan targets sprint stages while Ciccone stays protected on selective days.

Full lead-out train for Milan on flat finishes; keep a satellite option in the breakaway on transition stages.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: Lidl-Trek can swing a stage in minutes — Milan on flat days, with climbers ready to jump if the GC teams hesitate.

TdF Goals: Rebuild GC credibility around Thymen Arensman — target a podium run without conceding minutes in the TTs.

Protect Arensman on long climbs; lean on Ganna and Ineos rouleurs to set rhythm before the decisive ascents.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: Ineos are dangerous when the route rewards patience and a protected leader more than explosive, one-day gambles.

TdF Goals: WorldTour debut — hunt stages from the break with Abrahamsen and stay aggressive on transition days.

Uno-X sends rouleurs up the road early; limit GC exposure while forcing other teams to chase on hilly days.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: Uno-X punch above their WorldTour debut budget on transition days — Abrahamsen and allies thrive when the peloton hesitates.

TdF Goals: Young French GC tilt with Felix Gall and Paret-Peintre as a long-range card — peak in the third week.

Decathlon climbers pace for Gall; allow one rider to hunt stages from the break on transition days.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: Decathlon's young French core can grow into the race — Gall and Paret-Peintre matter most in the third week.

TdF Goals: Back Pello Bilbao for a top-five GC push — stay patient in week one, then trade blows on the highest passes.

Bahrain climb specialists shepherd Bilbao; hunt stage wins from the break when the GC picture allows.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: squad-specific read will publish with the official Tour start list.

TdF Goals: Ride for Sergio Higuita in the overall — stay out of trouble in week one, then target time on the longest climbs.

Astana mountain domestiques control pace for Higuita; limited sprint focus, breakaway cover on transition days.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: squad-specific read will publish with the official Tour start list.

TdF Goals: Stack stage wins — Jasper Philipsen on flat days, Mathieu van der Poel on hilly classics-style stages, no full GC bind.

Dual-headed sprint and puncher squad; chase breakaways late when the finish suits Philipsen or Van der Poel.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: Alpecin are sharpest when sprint stages are too hard for pure sprinters but not selective enough for full GC control.

TdF Goals: Sprint-first Tour through Tim Merlier — hunt flat stages without tying the squad to a GC bind.

Merlier-centric lead-out train on flats; send rouleurs into breaks on transition days.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: Soudal's Tour is a sprint programme — whether Merlier's train can win flat stages without a GC anchor draining the roster.

TdF Goals: Back Ben O'Connor for a top-ten overall — survive the opening TTT block, then gain time in the mountains.

Jayco climb unit protects O'Connor.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: squad-specific read will publish with the official Tour start list.

TdF Goals: Swiss WorldTeam wildcard — target breakaway stage wins on hilly transition days without carrying full GC pressure.

Send strong riders into early moves; protect one climber for an opportunistic ride if the breakaway pays dividends.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: NSN can animate hilly transition stages from the break when GC teams look at each other.

TdF Goals: ProTeam stage-hunting mandate — chase breakaways on hilly days and contest reduced sprints when the peloton fractures.

No GC anchor; send aggressive riders into early moves and save legs for the third week opportunistic stages.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: squad-specific read will publish with the official Tour start list.

TdF Goals: Protect Enric Mas for a podium bid — conservative first half, then force the issue on the steepest Pyrenean days.

Movistar climbers set tempo for Mas; allow one satellite rider to chase stage wins from the break.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: squad-specific read will publish with the official Tour start list.

TdF Goals: French GC push with Gérard Martin — defend in the Alps and use home-road momentum in the opening week.

FDJ train for Martin on long climbs; Madouas adds punch on medium-mountain stages.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: Groupama-FDJ carry French expectations on home roads — Martin's form in the Alps will define their Tour.

TdF Goals: Target breakaway and sprint-adjacent stages while keeping the GC group protected.

Organised sprint train on bunch finishes; send puncheurs into moves when the finish is not a pure sprint.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: squad-specific read will publish with the official Tour start list.

TdF Goals: No full GC bind — animate the race with Ben Healy and EF breakaway-first tactics for stage trophies.

Send strong riders into early moves on hilly days; keep the GC group fresh while Healy targets selective finishes.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: squad-specific read will publish with the official Tour start list.

TdF Goals: Back Jordan Jegat for a best-ever Tour GC — survive the crosswinds, then target time in the final mountain block.

TotalEnergies climbers pace for Jegat; limited sprint train, focus on keeping the leader protected before climbs.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: squad-specific read will publish with the official Tour start list.

TdF Goals: ProTeam wildcard plan — hunt a stage from the break and stay aggressive on hilly days without carrying full GC pressure.

Send strong riders into early moves; protect one climber for an opportunistic GC ride if the breakaway pays dividends.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: squad-specific read will publish with the official Tour start list.

TdF Goals: ProTeam breakaway-first — hunt a stage win from the escape on hilly days and stay invisible in the GC fight.

Send riders into early moves on transition stages; save one climber for a late opportunistic attack if the break survives.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: squad-specific read will publish with the official Tour start list.

TdF Goals: Develop Oscar Onley in his first full Tour GC bid — limit early losses, then let the legs talk on the longest climbs.

PostNL set a steady tempo for Onley; use experienced domestiques to keep him out of the wind on transition stages.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: PostNL are betting on Oscar Onley's first full Tour as a GC rider — his limit will show on the longest climbs.

TdF Goals: Build the race around Tom Pidcock — target uphill stage wins and a top-15 GC if the third week breaks right.

Pidcock as flexible leader on hilly and mountain stages; support riders control the breakaway on transition days.

Provisional squad — official eight-rider start list pending

Why to watch: squad-specific read will publish with the official Tour start list.