UAE Team Emirates-XRG will begin the first Grand Tour of the 2026 season with Adam Yates and Jay Vine leading their challenge at the Giro d’Italia.
The 109th edition of the race covers 3,468 kilometres and includes more than 48,000 metres of climbing. It begins on the Black Sea coast in Bulgaria, the first time the Giro has started there, before moving into northern Italy after three stages in the Balkans.
Yates goes into the race after victory at O Gran Camiño and a training block with the team in Sierra Nevada. The British rider has played a key support role in recent Tour de France campaigns, but will take on more responsibility in Italy.
Vine gives UAE Team Emirates-XRG a second general classification option. The Australian has already won the Tour Down Under this season and arrives after working his way back to form following injury.
“I’m pretty happy with how my preparation for the Giro has gone,” Yates said. “The win in O Gran Camiño was a good tester and I’ve had a solid block with the team in Sierra Nevada, so I think as a group, we’re ready.”
“Not having João Almeida will change our strategy slightly, but we still have big ambitions and still want to go for results. Personally, I feel like the shape is good and if things go our way we can have a good crack at the GC and animate the race.”
The UAE team have named a squad built around climbing strength and race control. Jhonatan Narvaez returns after a spell out, while Jan Christen and Marc Soler add support in the mountains.
Antonio Morgado offers another option on mixed terrain and in faster finishes. Igor Arrieta and Mikkel Bjerg complete the line-up, with both expected to help position the leaders and control breakaways.
The race is unlikely to open with major gaps among the favourites. The first stage is flat, followed by two hilly days. Stage 5 could suit a breakaway, while Stage 7 brings the first major general classification test.
That stage includes more than 4,000 metres of climbing and finishes at the summit. It should offer the first clear sign of how Yates and Vine compare with the other contenders.
Jonas Vingegaard is expected to be one of the main rivals. The reigning Vuelta a España champion and two-time Tour de France winner arrives after wins at Paris-Nice and the Volta a Catalunya.
Italian rider Giulio Ciccone is also among the threats, while Ben O’Connor will look to return to his best Grand Tour form after taking a stage win at the 2025 Tour de France.
