Campagnolo has reaffirmed its equipment partnership with Cofidis for the 2026 season with a campaign across its social channels, but the Italian groupset manufacturer will have no presence in the men's WorldTour after the French team's relegation to ProTeam status.
This marks the second time in three years that Campagnolo, the Vicenza-based components brand, will be absent from professional cycling's top tier. The company was shut out of the WorldTour entirely in 2024 before returning with Cofidis in 2025 under a four-year agreement.
"We are proud to continue our journey with the team, providing the best Italian technology to support their goals on the road," Campagnolo said in a social media statement.
Cofidis, which will race as a ProTeam (the sport's second division) from 2026 to 2028, finished 20th in the UCI's three-year ranking system. The squad missed the final WorldTour licence by 397 points, according to UCI data.
Because Cofidis was Campagnolo's only WorldTour-level partner in 2025, their relegation automatically removed the Italian brand from cycling's elite competition calendar.
Shifting landscape
The 2026 WorldTour groupset market is now split between Shimano and SRAM, the US-based drivetrain specialists.
Eight WorldTour teams will race on SRAM Red AXS in 2026, including Lidl-Trek, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, and Team Visma | Lease a Bike. Shimano Dura-Ace will equip eight sponsored teams, with two additional squads using the Japanese brand's components without formal sponsorship.
Campagnolo's trajectory has been one of steady contraction. The brand supported four WorldTour teams in 2021, including various iterations of the current UAE Team Emirates. By 2023, it had been reduced to a single team, AG2R Citroën, before its complete absence the following year.
The company has faced broader financial pressures. As Velora reported, in late 2025 Campagnolo laid off approximately 40% of its staff. Unlike its competitors, the brand lacks mid-range product lines comparable to Shimano 105 or SRAM Rival at a time when high-end sales have slowed.
Despite losing its WorldTour licence, Cofidis will retain automatic entry to the Tour de France and cycling's five Monuments in 2026.
As one of the top three ProTeams in the 2025 rankings, the squad is guaranteed invitations to all WorldTour events, ensuring Campagnolo-branded equipment remains visible at the sport's highest level regardless of the team's relegation.
Cover image credit: Cofidis
