Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) has confirmed he will race the Giro d'Italia for the first time in his career as part of an attempt at a Giro-Tour double in 2026.
The two-time Tour de France champion revealed his plans in a team video, explaining that after five years of Tour-focused preparation, he was ready for a change. His schedule will begin at the UAE Tour before moving to Catalunya and then the Giro, with the Tour de France following.
"I've never done the Giro yet and I would like to do it one year, and now the time has come," Vingegaard said in a video presentation from Visma–Lease a Bike. "I'm really looking forward to it, to also a bit of a change – not the same buildup for the Tour as I've done in the last five years. So to mix it up a bit and go for the pink jersey."
The Dane set out his ambitions for July. "Winning the third one would be absolutely incredible for me. It's something that I'm dreaming of still. I've won it already two times and I still believe I can win it again."
Vingegaard will enter the Tour chasing a return to his 2022 and 2023 race-winning form.
Van Aert targets monuments and Montreal rainbow
Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) outlined a campaign spanning the Spring Classics, two Grand Tours, and the World Championships in Montreal.
The Belgian will contest the full cobbled calendar from the Belgian Opening Weekend through Paris-Roubaix, following an altitude camp in February. He then plans to race the Tour de France before returning to the Vuelta a España, where he said there is "still some unfinished business".
"I want to be just there from the Belgian Opening Weekend all the way till Paris-Roubaix and try to get as many opportunities as possible," Van Aert said.
The Montreal World Championships represent a particular focus for Van Aert, who views the Canadian course as better suited to his abilities than upcoming editions in Rwanda and France.
"It's a hard course in Canada and I think with a Grand Tour like the Vuelta I have the best chance of performing there," he explained. "I know Montreal is easier than Rwanda or France in 2027. I don't want to wait until a flat bunch sprint in Abu Dhabi, so I want to give it a go and make the most of this small chance."
Van Aert also expressed enthusiasm for the Tour's opening team time trial in Barcelona – the first TTT start since 1971. "My first Tour back in 2019, we had the team time trial in Brussels – really special memories from that day. Ever since then I barely did any team time trials anymore. So when it's back on the biggest race of the world, I want to be part of our team. We do have a strong team for this discipline."
Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) revealed a shift in his spring programme, pivoting from the Flemish Classics to target the Ardennes. It follows his comments earlier this week on his ambitions to one day win the Tour, but set against his great fondness for Visma's structured program where he isn't the focal GC rider.
"My main goal for the spring is going to be Liège, because in years past I would have liked to do both, but I think to be at my best I have to choose one or the other to optimise my form," Jorgenson said. "Amstel, Flèche and Liège are all races that suit me well. In my mind they feel a little bit closer to my abilities than the Flemish Classics do, with longer climbs and a less punchy parcours."
The American also requested the Tour de Suisse as preparation for the Tour de France rather than the Critérium du Dauphiné, seeking opportunities for personal success before shifting into a support role.
"I asked for more opportunities to try to win races for myself this year," Jorgenson explained. "Going to the Tour de France, I know I'll be a helper. So I think Tour de Suisse will be a good opportunity to use the form I'm in – which is usually my best form of the year – and use it for myself before I can dedicate myself to Jonas and trying to win the Tour."
On the women's side, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease a Bike) will defend her Tour de France Femmes title on a route that concludes near her home in Nice.
The team acknowledged the shift from underdog to favourite but said they were confident in the French champion. "I love the pressure and I perform better also under pressure," Ferrand-Prévot said. "So I think it's only good for me to be able to defend the Tour de France title."
Marianne Vos described high ambitions for the 2026 season, but her immediate focus was tightly set on the Classics. "I mentioned Classics, but I did not say I was dreaming of winning Roubaix," Vos joked, "but of course winning a Classic is something extraordinary."
"Paris-Roubaix is something special" she said. "It's chaos but fantastic racing."
