UAE Team Emirates-XRG opened the 2026 Tour de France with third place in the stage 1 team time trial in Barcelona, as Tadej Pogačar began his title defence 12 seconds off the yellow jersey.
The 19.6km route around the city ended with the climb towards Montjuïc and the Olympic Stadium. Visma-Lease a Bike set the winning time of 21 minutes 47 seconds, enough to put Jonas Vingegaard in the first yellow jersey of the race.
Netcompany Ineos finished second, eight seconds down. UAE Team Emirates-XRG were third at 12 seconds, with Pogačar crossing the line first for the team and Isaac del Toro close behind.
The revised team time trial format played a part. The stage placing came from each team’s fastest rider, while riders received individual times for the general classification. That allowed Pogačar to press on alone inside the final kilometre, rather than wait for a group finish.
“Everybody went over the limit and also thanks to the team I have this polka dot jersey.”
Pogačar also climbed fastest over the final 3.7km. That gave him the polka dot jersey for stage 2.
He starts the second day third overall, 12 seconds behind Vingegaard. Del Toro sits sixth, 26 seconds down, giving UAE Team Emirates-XRG two riders in the early top 10.
For a team that has already had recent success through Pogačar and Del Toro in the build-up to July, this was a solid opening rather than a statement win. The race is still at its beginning, but UAE Team Emirates-XRG avoided early damage on a stage with little room for error.
“It was a super good performance,” Pogačar said. “Of course, you always aim for the victory, but I think we did a really good, super team time trial.”
“I am super happy that the day is over because it is really hard to do this day. It is long and you prepare for just these 20 minutes with the team. It is really stressful, but I enjoyed it today because it has been a long time since I did a team time trial.”
Pogačar also praised Del Toro and the wider team after taking the mountains jersey.
“Good news that I have climbing legs, but it was quite a short climb, and Isaac did a really amazing job,” he said. “He is such a good kid, and all the team did super good today. Everybody went over the limit and also thanks to the team I have this polka dot jersey.”
UAE Team Emirates-XRG also had success away from the Tour, with Julius Johansen winning stage 1b of the Sibiu Cycling Tour in Romania.
Johansen set the fastest time in the 3.1km individual time trial, finishing in 4 minutes 16 seconds. His teammate Ivo Oliveira was second, two seconds back, giving the team a one-two finish on the stage.
Johansen also moved into the overall race lead after the split opening day. Oliveira sits second in the general classification, two seconds behind, with Matias Malmberg of Swatt Club third at three seconds.
The Tour continues on Sunday with a hilly stage from Tarragona to Barcelona. In Romania, Johansen starts stage 2 in yellow as the Sibiu Cycling Tour heads towards Paltinis.
