In this article:

• Read about the WorldTour teams Shimano will sponsor in 2026 and celebrate the continued collaboration between Shimano and elite road cycling.
• Road cycling’s premier events are just around the corner, from the Monument races (like Paris-Roubaix and Milan-San-Remo) to the Grand Tours, and Shimano will be there to support the action.
• Shimano Neutral Service, a cornerstone of our commitment to competitive cycling, will be present throughout the season, providing technical support to teams on race days.

For the 2026 season, the majority of UCI WorldTour men’s and women’s squads, as well as key development teams, will be riding Shimano. As a technical sponsor, Shimano collaborates closely with these teams, sharing data to refine firmware and future product development. All teams listed here will race with Shimano’s flagship DURA-ACE R9200 groupset and pedals.

These are the teams you are going to want to watch. This is Shimano’s Class of 2026.

Spearheaded by Mathieu van der Poel, Puck Pieterse, Jasper Philipsen, and many other cycling superstars, the Belgium-based Men’s, Women’s, and Development teams are among the leading contenders in practically every race this year.

• Bike Brand: Canyon
• Models: Aeroad CFR (main road bike) and Speedmax CFR (TT bike)
• Groupset: DURA-ACE Di2 
• Pedals: DURA-ACE
• Shoes: S-PHYRE
• Wheels: DURA-ACE WH-R9270 

A dominant force in the WorldTour, UAE Team Emirates – XRG continues to build around reigning Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar. Coming into 2026 on the heels of a remarkable 97 victories last season, this squad of stars combines climbing strength, time-trial excellence, and proven depth. João Almeida and Isaac Del Toro provide stage-race authority, Tim Wellens brings relentless one-day aggression, Jay Vine the time-trial expertise, and Brandon McNulty the versatility to influence any stage. It’s a roster engineered to win Grand Tours, week-long stage races, and explosive single-day battles.

• Bike Brand: Colnago
• Models: Y1Rs (main road bike) and TT1 (time trial bike)
• Groupset: DURA-ACE Di2
• Pedals: DURA-ACE

The Women’s counterpart to UAE Team Emirates enters 2026 with renewed ambition, led by Elisa Longo Borghini. The squad continues to target Grand Tours and major classics with a balanced roster of climbers and punchers.

• Bike Brand: Colnago
• Model: Y1Rs
• Groupset: DURA-ACE Di2
• Pedals: DURA-ACE

The Dutch Men’s, Women’s, and Development teams continue with Lapierre for 2026. Known for structured racing and sprint organization, the team balances experience and youth across its roster. The team will look to Fabio Jakobsen to own the sprints, Max Poole to lead the charge in stage races, and Pfeiffer Georgi to set the tone on the women’s side.

• Bike Brand: Lapierre
• Models: Xelius DRS (road), Aerostorm DRS (TT)
• Groupset: DURA-ACE Di2
• Pedals: DURA-ACE
• Shoes: S-PHYRE
• Helmet: Lazer

This French WorldTour team is built around climbers and GC contenders David Gaudu and Guillaume Martin, rising all-arounder and dynamic puncheur Romain Grégoire, and time-trial specialist Rémi Cavagna. It’s a roster with a distinctly youthful edge. Pure climbers, riders who thrive on rolling terrain, and a generation eager to make their mark on the sport.

• Bike Brand: Wilier Triestina
• Models: Wilier Filante SLR ID2, Verticale SLR, Supersonica SLR (TT)
• Groupset: DURA-ACE Di2
• Pedals: DURA-ACE

Fresh off a No.1 finish in the UCI rankings, this French women’s WorldTour squad enters 2026 eager to repeat their success. At its core is a formidable trio in Demi Vollering, Juliette Berthet and Elise Chabbey. Around them is a highly motivated squad with stage-race ambitions and strong one‑day potential, thanks to riders like Ally Wollaston and Évita Muzic.

• Bike Brand: Specialized
• Models: Tarmac SL8
• Groupset: DURA-ACE Di2
• Pedals: DURA-ACE

Soudal Quick-Step enters the 2026 season supported by the strength and consistency of its Specialized and Shimano partnership. This Belgian squad blends elite sprint firepower from Tim Merlier with classics specialists like Jasper Stuyven, Dylan van Baarle and GC-oriented climbers such as Mikel Landa and Ilan Van Wilder.

Its affiliated women’s WorldTour squad, AG Insurance – Soudal Team, is built around experienced leaders Ashleigh Moolman Pasio and Kimberley Le Court, with GC depth from Urška Žigart and Sarah Gigante and a strong supporting roster of finishers and sprinters.

• Bike Brand: Specialized
• Models: Tarmac SL8, Shiv (TT)
• Groupset: DURA-ACE Di2
• Pedals: DURA-ACE

This British team features a world-class time-trial and rouleur unit led by Filippo Ganna, Joshua Tarling and newcomer Oscar Onley. Together, they will provide strong versatility across Grand Tours and TTs. It also has a solid GC core of Egan Bernal and Carlos Rodríguez, supported by Thymen Arensman and Laurens De Plus for stage races. Their vision extends beyond the current roster, with the Grenadiers Racing Academy set to launch in 2026. This new development team and talent program will serve as a pipeline for raw talent, helping them make the jump from promising prospects to professional racers.

• Bike Brand: Pinarello
• Models: Dogma F, Bolide (TT)
• Groupset: DURA-ACE Di2
• Pedals: DURA-ACE

Continuing their Giant and Shimano partnership for 2026, this Australian WorldTeam blends the sprint firepower of Michael Matthews and Pascal Ackermann with the stage-race strength of Ben O’Connor and Luke Plapp. They also have plenty of support depth to deliver consistent points across the calendar.

On the women’s side, Liv AlUla Jayco is ready to attack 2026 with fast finishers Letizia Paternoster and Georgia Baker and all-rounders Silke Smulders and Monica Trinca Colonel.

• Bike Brand: Giant
• Models: Propel Advanced SL, TCR Advanced SL, Trinity Advanced Pro (TT)
• Groupset: DURA-ACE Di2
• Pedals: DURA-ACE

For 2026, Lotto–Intermarché merges the talent pools of two Belgian programs into a single formidable squad. Arnaud De Lie anchors the team with explosive sprint speed and classics strength, while rising prospect Jarno Widar builds toward his Grand Tour debut at the Vuelta a España. The third pillar, Lennert Van Eetvelt returns from injury with renewed focus on stage racing and targets the demanding Giro–Tour double.

Lotto‑Intermarché Ladies are stepping up to the UCI Women’s ProTeam level in 2026 following the merger and rebrand. The 2026 roster blends experienced riders like Linda Riedmann and Lea Lin Teutenberg with developing talents Lani Wittevrongel and Ilken Seynave, as well as multi‑sport recruit Sandrine Tas.

• Bike Brand: Orbea
• Models: Orbea Orca, Orca Aero, Ordu (TT)
• Groupset: DURA-ACE Di2
• Pedals: DURA-ACE

XDS Astana is a Kazakh WorldTeam that blends experienced winners like Diego Ulissi, Alberto Bettiol and Mike Teunissen with climbers and GC riders such as Sergio Higuita, Harold Tejada and Clément Champoussin. It’s a roster lined with strong climbers and riders who animate one-day races without losing sight of the bigger picture.

• Bike Brand: XDS Carbon Tech
• Models: X‑Lab AD9, RS9, DB01
• Groupset: DURA-ACE Di2
• Pedals: DURA-ACE