'We have a lot of confidence in each other' – Tadej Pogačar's support team for the Tour de France announced
UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad includes Isaac del Toro and Adam Yates
UAE Team Emirates-XRG have announced the seven riders that will support Tadej Pogačar as he defends his title at this year's Tour de France.
Isaac del Toro, Felix Großschartner, Brandon McNulty, Nils Politt, Florian Vermeersch, Tim Wellens, and Adam Yates will all join the Slovenian at the race, which begins this Saturday 4 July in Barcelona, Spain.
If Pogačar wins the yellow jersey, he will equal the all-time record, and join an exclusive club of five-time winners, alongside Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Induráin.
"The Tour de France is always the biggest challenge of the season and also the race that motivates us the most," Pogačar said in a statement. "Every year, you arrive at the start knowing that anything can happen over three weeks, and that’s what makes it so special.
"We’ve prepared really well as a team, everyone has worked incredibly hard, and now we’re excited to finally get started in Barcelona.
"I feel good, I’m looking forward to racing, and I know I’ll have a fantastic group of teammates and staff around me. We have a lot of confidence in each other and have built up a lot of experience together over the years."
Pogačar has never finished lower than second in six previous participations at the Tour. He won on debut in 2020, aged 21, when he dramatically overturned the GC in a penultimate day time trial to La Planche des Belles Filles.
The 27-year-old then went on to win in 2021, 2024 and 2025, finishing second to Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) in 2022 and 2023.
Del Toro is the only debutant in UAE Team Emirates-XRG's squad for this July's edition. The 22-year-old Mexican placed second on debut at the Giro d'Italia last season, winning 18 times throughout the year.
This season, both Del Toro and Pogačar have topped the GC at every stage race they have finished; Del Toro won the UAE Tour, Tirreno-Adriatico and the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, while Pogačar won the Tour de Romandie and the Tour de Suisse.
"From a training perspective, I would say I'm stronger," Pogačar said of his form a week ago at the Tour de Suisse, speaking to L'Équipe.
Although the world champion has only completed 16 race days in 2026 so far, he has enjoyed one of his most successful season starts to date, winning three Monuments in Milan-San Remo, the Tour of Flanders and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
The Tour de France opens with a team time trial in Barcelona on 4 July.
Looking ahead to the race, Pogačar said: "There will be strong rivals, difficult stages and many other unpredictable moments, but we’re ready to give everything."
