Vuelta a España 2026 - Essential tips for your fantasy games
Tuesday 18 August 2026 • Blog
This is your golden guide to putting together your team for the Vuelta a Espana 2026. A long read with essential tips for your cycling pool(s). Tom Nederend and Thomas Zwetsloot give a golden tip per team for your Vuelta game.
Are you playing the CyclingOracle Fantasy Game, Scorito or Sporza Wielermanager? Or are you looking for a replacement for the discontinued AD Wielerspel? Below you can read per team where the points are to be found, plus who the favourites are for the red jersey and the other classifications. Want more tips? Take your Petje Af for 27.50 or 55 euro per year and become part of the WielerOrakel WhatsApp Community, full of expert tips and cycling talk, with the aim of making the build up to the race even more fun.

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In short: this is how you build a strong Vuelta pool in 2026
The Vuelta a Espana 2026 is raced from 22 August up to and including 13 September, over 21 stages. The start is in Monaco with an individual time trial, after which the route flows into Spain via France and Andorra and heads south to the finish in Granada. With more than 58,000 vertical metres, seven summit finishes and two individual time trials, this edition counts as one of the toughest ever. Top favourite for the red jersey is Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), who after oor het geld dat je uitgeeft.his Tour win also stands in a class of his own in the Vuelta. Below you can read the favourites per jersey and the golden tip per team.
Where do you play your Vuelta pool in 2026?
You can play a cycling pool for the Vuelta a Espana in several places. Naturally we recommend our own CyclingOracle FantasyGame, in which you play together with the whole community. Besides that, Scorito and Sporza Wielermanager are popular platforms. Do you simply want a free pool with your colleagues or friends? Then create your own free Vuelta pool with us. The tips in this blog work on every platform: it always comes down to the same question, namely which riders pick up the most points for the money you spend.
Favourites Vuelta a Espana 2026: who wins red, green, polka dots and white?
For anyone building their pool around the classifications, these are the jerseys to keep an eye on.
Favourite for the red jersey (general classification)
Thomas: I can state exactly the same here as I did before the Tour de France. Not a single reason for doubt: Tadej Pogacar stands in a class of his own and is the top favourite.
Tom: There can only be one and it is not Oscar.
Favourite for the green jersey (points classification)
Thomas: I think this battle will be between Mads Pedersen and Wout van Aert. Despite Pedersen saying that he is not going to ride specifically for this jersey, I think that the route of this Vuelta will automatically drag him into the green fight. For Van Aert the points jersey is more of a goal, but then he has to deal with Brennan, who will also have picked out his stages. It is therefore certainly important for Van Aert to keep sprinting in the flat stages and to score points at the intermediate sprints with offensive racing as well. I think he will succeed in that and I see Wout van Aert as the favourite for the points jersey with Pedersen in second place. Outsiders are Matthew Brennan (if he climbs better than I expect), Tadej Pogacar (if he goes into beast mode) and Kaden Groves (if he has finally found his legs this year).
Tom: Flip a coin between Mads Pedersen and Wout van Aert. Van Aert has to leave things to Brennan now and then, so Mads it is.
Favourite for the polka dot jersey (mountains classification)
Thomas: Usually the polka dot jersey, a white jersey with blue dots, does not go to a classification rider in the Vuelta. In the last two years this jersey was won by Jay Vine, who played no role in the classification and collected a lot of points from breakaways. It has to be said: in those years the glutton Pogacar did not take part in the Vuelta and that could well have an influence. When I look at the route and the points scale, I do see that there are enough points to be collected along the way to compensate for Pogacar’s points on the final climbs. That is why I think the polka dot jersey will end up going to a breakaway rider as well, one who really wants to (and is allowed to) go for it. Based on the current start list and the interviews given, I see three candidates outside the typical GC men: Lorenzo Fortunato, Richard Carapaz and Jay Vine. I think Carapaz and Vine (for different reasons) will not race at the front enough during the stages and therefore I name Lorenzo Fortunato as the favourite for this classification. And if Pogacar does indeed go into beast mode, he can perfectly well take this one himself in the gruesome 20th stage (where a good solo can bring in 45 points).
Tom: If I were to put money on it, I would put it on Pogacar. Carapaz is going for GC, so I do not see that happening. Vine still has Pogacar to take into account it seems to me, so that is slightly less obvious too. That leaves men like Fortunato and the new backpack man Paret-Peintre, but then they have to be very, very good. So, Pogacar.
Favourite for the white jersey (youth classification)
Thomas: For this classification Oscar Onley is the man to beat for me. The Brit is back from injury, is the absolute leader at INEOS and I think he is very keen to show the cycling world that he can shine in the INEOS shirt too. He already showed nice things in the Vuelta a Burgos and can even take another step towards the Vuelta. For me that makes him the top favourite, with Matthew Riccitello (last year’s winner) in a deserved second place.
Tom: There are few really serious candidates, so Oscar Onley indeed. Riccitello has Gall ahead of him and then you quickly arrive at the Visma tandem Nordhagen and Tulett, Brenner, Torres and Tuckwell.
Which riders should you pick for your Vuelta pool in 2026?
Below we cover all 23 teams of the Vuelta a Espana 2026: the 18 permanent WorldTour teams plus five wildcards (Burgos Burpellet BH, Cofidis, Equipo Kern Pharma, Pinarello - Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team and Tudor Pro Cycling Team). Tom and Thomas give their golden tip per team. Above all, make your own choices, but use this as a compass for your WielerOrakel Wielerspel, Scorito or Sporza team.
Alpecin - Premier Tech
Thomas: The only Alpecin option for me is Kaden Groves. He has shown several times in the past that he is a reliable points collector in a grand tour. He has a solid sprint and he always has an interest in the points jersey. Still, this year is not much to write home about for Groves: a nasty knee injury in the spring and an ugly crash in the Giro have not exactly made 2026 a success so far. He also gets very little support from the team, so the lights are not on green for me yet. A lot will depend on his price, but with Pedersen and Van Aert on the start line as well, plus everything mentioned above, I am leaning towards no rather than yes.
Tom: Wow, apart from Groves there is not much on offer here. So let me name the 23 year old Belgian Ramsus Debruyne. In a free role this good climbing lad should be able to slide into the breakaway a few times. But to be really honest, there are better options in the ball pit.
Burgos Burpellet BH
Thomas: Led by the old Jesus Herrada, the Burgos men will try to scrape together points, both for the UCI ranking and for your pools. There are no certainties at all here. I give the biggest and most likely chance of points to Cesar Macias, the young and fast man of the team. He knows how to win and can be a fine filler for your sprinter section, although there are more suitable candidates for that. Generally speaking, C sprinters from small Spanish teams do deliver a decent number of points. Do you dare?
Tom: Cesar Macias, nice one! But that means I am not allowed to tip him. Even with the wildest imagination I cannot come up with another option for your fantasy team. So look elsewhere.
Cofidis
Thomas: There are people who think this is a great team, I have my doubts. Once again they bring names to this Vuelta that do not exactly ring loud, and I see them achieving little to nothing in the mountains. With Renard and Coquard they do have two of their fast men along, so there should be points to be had there. Personally I would go for Bryan Coquard for this Vuelta. Although the experienced Frenchman has not shown a great deal in recent months, and the Vuelta is not immediately the grand tour of his greatest successes, I do see him coming alive this time around. Two arguments for that: (1) he has not ridden a Tour this year and will therefore start fresh and (2) the route is rather inviting for his snappy sprints. He will be reasonably priced and with his experience he should be able to put together a number of top 10 places.
Tom: We are really starting with the creme de la creme here, are we not? Apart from Coquard there is nobody you need to consider. No, not Buchmann either, because as the Germans say: das war einmal.
Decathlon CMA CGM Team
Thomas: I will leave the analysis of Felix Gall to Tom, and Bisiaux is a lovely talent, but I do want to give some attention to my man Matthew Riccitello. After a turbulent Vuelta in 2024 he showed last year what he is really capable of. Despite all the fuss and emotion around his team, he kept a cool head and rode to fifth place and victory in the youth classification. This year Gall will be the undisputed leader, but I do not expect Riccitello to worry too much about that. UAE will carry the race and then it is simply follow, follow, follow. Riccitello rode a fairly anonymous Tour but did come through more in the final week, and I see a nice upward line towards the Vuelta. In the shadow of Gall he can ride to a fine overall placing and he is also in the fight for the white jersey. There is definitely a downside, but certainly an upside too, and that makes him a real difference maker.
Tom: Felix Gall! Open up his PCS profile for this year and you will see: 5th UAE Tour, 6th Catalunya, 2nd Giro, 1st Burgos. Steady as a rock. After Pogacar probably the best climber in this race. And yet there are a few caveats. The two time trials are not for him and he is expensively priced. You are buying a floor of points, but what is the upside? Bunch sprints are not his thing and, oddly enough, that also makes him an ideal rider to take a gamble on. By not picking him.
EF Education - EasyPost
Thomas: In line with good tradition, EF have not yet announced their squad and it is not yet clear which fast man will be joining the pink comrades. What is clear is that their big figurehead, Richard Carapaz, has indicated he will race the Vuelta. Although there is a small transfer bombshell (with possible consequences) hanging in the air, I assume the Ecuadorian will report in Monaco. If that happens, he is a delightful rider for the pools. He sprints for placings, he can win stages, he can ride a top 10 in the general classification and he can win the mountains classification. Very little reason not to take him.
Tom: EF are all in on Carapaz for GC, and that is also the reason Marijn van den Berg is not allowed to go. That immediately makes other riders from that team less interesting. Albanese, for example, is a sprinter who can get over a hill, but he is apparently going mainly to position Carapaz. Markel Beloki is a nice talent, Steinhauser a good attacker, but they are on a leash, so hands off as far as I am concerned.
Equipo Kern Pharma
Thomas: A little army of free spirits, in search of a stage win (and a new sponsor). Quite a few fun Spaniards who can do something on a range of terrain, but I will name a Colombian mountain goat here: Ivan Ramiro Sosa. Although this man already has a rich cycling life behind him and has won some lovely races, Sosa is still only 28. He won in Turkey this year and rode a few solid results. An extremely inconsistent rider, but if the finish is uphill and he reaches the foot of the final climb in the front group, he could easily ride into the points. He is not afraid of altitude, he is not afraid of the heat and he is priced in the lowest category: do you see him rising once more?
Tom: Then I will take the sprinters of the house: Cobo (sprint+) and Brustenga (sprint). Both have put down some nice results this year in the smaller races. For me Cobo has the edge, since he will also throw himself into the attack. Really a fun rider if you want to take a gamble.
Groupama - FDJ United
Thomas: Once again a remarkably poor selection from the French. I would just stay away from it, unless you are a Clement Berthet fan and you have confidence that he will pick the right breakaways. Tronchon should be able to do something in the sprints of a thinned out peloton, but after the spring he is on my blacklist for now.
Tom: I cannot do anything but agree with Thomas. Tronchon would be possible, but in that category of sprinters there is quite a lot of choice this race. Madouas is no longer who he used to be.
Netcompany INEOS
Thomas: While waiting for Ben Turner, I will make a case here for Oscar Onley. The young Brit was not having a very successful debut year at INEOS, until the Vuelta a Burgos. In that race he showed his talent again and he belonged (together with Gall and Ciccone) to the leading group of climbers. Onley broke through in the 2025 Tour, where he also showed that he has a snappy sprint. He starts fresh and is once again in the running for the youth jersey in this Vuelta, which makes him a really attractive pick for your pools.
Tom: [tip to follow]
Team Jayco AlUla
Thomas: No idea what the sports directors were thinking with this selection, but it does not warm me up. If you do want to pick someone from the Jayco boys, you could speculate that budget pick Alessandro Covi will get involved in the sprints and pick up some points for you that way.
Tom: I do think Paul Double is worth mentioning. I still expect a thing or two from this good climbing late bloomer. A series of high placings and fifth in the Tour of Austria, fifth in Oman. If he has peaked well, I can still see him riding into the picture. A bit of the Cobo category for me: a nice pick if you want to do things slightly differently.
Lotto Intermarche
Thomas: Although he really does still belong to the club of young Belgians who have had a lot of bad luck lately and/or have badly disappointed, I still find Jarno Widar the most interesting rider at the merged team. In between all the misery he put together a few decent results in 2026 and in the Tour de l Avenir in 2025 he showed how big his talent is. He started very strongly in Burgos but then got ill (again), which can happen. He has a snappy uphill sprint and with that he can score points in quite a few stages. He is not priced too high and therefore the downside risk is not big either. I get slight Van Eetvelt 2023/2024 vibes from him, so he gets a (provisional) last chance from me.
Tom: Steffen de Schuyteneer is a fine sprinter, a shame he cannot get over a hill. And then the chances are very limited in this Vuelta. Better to look at Vito Braet. He is fast too and does get over a hill. I can still see him picking up some good placings.
Lidl - Trek
Thomas: Mads Pedersen, simple as that. Whatever he says about his ambitions for the green, possible preparations for the World Championships and the decompression after the Tour, you really cannot leave him out. He is the undisputed sprint leader at Lidl - Trek, he gets a route made to measure and the competition in the sprints is far weaker than in the Tour. He can finish top 10 in 11 or 12 stages and will therefore automatically feature in the points classification. The only risk is that he does not finish the race, but that is not Pedersen style at all. Enjoy the racing!
Tom: Skjelmose is riding an excellent year and rewarded himself with sixth place in the Tour de France. Back then you could pick him up for very little, now his price tag is hefty. And that does make him quite a doubtful case. His season started in February, so how long can he hold his form? He is the absolute climbing leader in his team. Strong punch, good time trial. A lot of lights are on green. And yet, in a field where you have to make fairly hard choices, he is someone with a small question mark. But you know what they say: you gotta risk it for the biscuit. Difference maker!
Movistar
Thomas: A nice little team, the Movistar men. A bit of everything: classification men, sprinters and free spirits. From that last category I will name Ivan Romeo. The young Spaniard has already put together a considerable palmares in recent years and he shows me that he is cut from the right cloth. Romeo can certainly handle the selective stages, he knows how to win a race and he has one more big advantage: his time trial. He became under 23 world time trial champion in 2024 and recently rode a strong time trial in Poland (and those never lie). He has his eyes on the opening time trial in Monaco and can also ride a top 10 in the longer time trial. All in all, and given his nice pricing, a real gem for your pools!
Tom: Mas, Mas, Mas, as Rolf Sanchez would say. Look at his season so far and you know: he is once again building towards a peak in the Vuelta. In the Giro he was still pudding, but in Burgos he gave the right signal with fifth place. Believe me, Mas will simply deliver again in his grand tour.
NSN Cycling Team
Thomas: At this moment I am looking at two names on the provisional start list: Jan Hirt and Alexey Lutsenko. I am not going to take these old hands, so I am holding off here for a bit. I expect they will still call on Ethan Vernon and I would immediately find that an interesting option for my teams. The Brit is generally able to digest some vertical metres and belongs to the fastest men in this field. On a good day he can also ride a good time trial, which makes him interesting. Then again, it remains speculation and we will see whether he makes the start list. If that is not the case, I would skip NSN.
Tom: No Vernon, but sprinter Hugo Hofstetter is in the line up. And that is exactly the kind of reliable points gatherer who, provided he is well priced, will ride his sprints for you. He gets over most of the hills and then he is comparable to Coquard: you know what you are getting.
Pinarello - Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team
Thomas: Without the Brits Pidcock and Wright it takes some searching for possible gems and/or points collectors. The line up has not been formalised yet, but I have more than good hope that David Gonzalez will report in Monaco as a budget sprinter. At Pinarello they do need the points and in this sprint field the Spaniard Gonzalez should be able to gather some. He sprinted along in the flat stage in Burgos and showed last year in the Vuelta that he knows how to position himself well. Provided he is reasonably priced, he can quickly be worth his price tag.
Tom: Yes, yes, there he is: David Gonzalez is on the list. A nice sprinter to have in your team, and he climbs well. Otherwise a poor team, with veterans De la Cruz and Dunbar for the better hanging on work in the mountains.
Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe
Thomas: I will leave the classification men and the sprinter to my colleague Tom. My eye within this selection has fallen on Finn Fisher-Black. The versatile (young) Kiwi can time trial, can punch, can pick his breakaways and can (and wants to) sprint in a thinned out peloton. The only drawback is that it has never yet come out in the grand tours. His results in Poland show a nice build up and I do see him settling the score with the he cannot do it in grand tours syndrome in this Vuelta. A healthy difference maker, this Kiwi!
Tom: Well, Primoz Roglic. The man with four (!) Vuelta overall wins to his name. He is apparently still the undisputed leader, but he crashed hard in the preparation for his big goal this season. I do not dare (and do not want) to write him off completely, but I am still leaving him alone. Too much uncertainty. His 22 year old Australian teammate Luke Tuckwell might then be the better option, someone who stood out above all with second place in the TARA and sixth place in Romandie. Small profit warning: he had to leave Burgos ill and this will be his first grand tour.
Soudal Quick-Step
Thomas: No definitive selection known yet, but so far no names that are a certainty for me. If you are still looking for a breakaway rider with a possible GC placing between 10th and 20th, you could look at Filippo Zana. With him it is always a question what his plans are, but with an ailing Landa and Lecerf having dropped out, he will at least get all the freedom to do his thing. He has a fine palmares and a good age, he is excellently priced and in Burgos he showed me a reasonable build up towards the Vuelta. Maybe still a bit under the radar, but I expect something from him.
Tom: On paper quite a nice bunch of free spirits together. Cras will keep hanging on in the classification, Landa is a big question mark, Zana is solid, Dainese a fine sprinter and Garafoli a nice attacker. For me Valentin Paret-Peintre is the most interesting. He was very active in the Tour for the mountains classification, but had to bow to the grinta of Carapaz. The question is how full the battery of this slight man still is, because he really threw his energy around in France.
Bahrain Victorious
Thomas: Still little known about the selection, although Buitrago and Pau Miquel look like becoming the spearheads. Pau Miquel, the versatile faster man, is considerably overpriced in some games and therefore not a serious option. Santiago Buitrago is a rider I like to cheer for and I long considered him a Carapaz light. After a solid start to the year there was that nasty crash in the Giro and after that he has not really been at his level again. In the Tour of Poland I did spot a slight improvement, although it was not yet at the level we are used to from him. A gamble on Buitrago is a bold move and will be a very distinctive choice, which does make him a real difference maker. I am waiting for the interviews for a bit, because I do need something to cheer about.
Tom: Matevz Govekar is the sprinter of the house if we are to believe the team communication. Above Pau Miquel then, mildly surprising. Often quite solid when he gets involved, so provided he is well priced he can come along. Certainly because a lot of people think Miquel is the sprinter. One more small tip: Jakob Omrzel. Slovenian, 20 years old and already quite a few high placings on his CV at that young age. Being Slovenian he is already compared to Pogacar, although that does not seem entirely fair to me.
Team Picnic PostNL
Thomas: You have heard it from me more often this year: do not spend any time on it. The story of Max Poole is very sad for him, but at this moment I do not seriously consider this team for my pools.
Tom: Agreed.
Tudor Pro Cycling Team
Thomas: After they had filled in Kung and Brenner, it looks as though the management raffled off the other six places. The most interesting rider from this team for me is Stefan Kung. He (finally) left Groupama at the end of last year and started a new adventure at Tudor, where his spring fell completely apart because of a broken femur in the Omloop. He built up quietly again from the Swiss championships and with his win in the Polish time trial he showed that his form is back. In recent years the Swiss has always been found in the Vuelta, where he combined good time trials (in 2024) with short results in the flatter stages. When I look at the Tudor squad I see no recognised sprinters in there, so will Kung also go for his chance in the sprint (+) stages this year? They can use the UCI points, so it would not surprise me if they want to try. The question is how his explosiveness is after the long rehabilitation. Waiting for the interviews for a moment, but I am keeping an eye on him!
Tom: Brenner can be a nice GC filler as the freshly crowned overall winner of the Tour of Poland, but just as with Tuckwell there is a profit warning: he has never shown it in a three week grand tour with a lot of high mountains. Definitely weigh that up if you are looking for safe classification men.
Team Visma | Lease a Bike
Thomas: In the end it has become a delightful team after all, and I expect them to be decisive for the course of the race in a lot of stages. For the pools I think it is wise to make a choice between Tulett (3), Nordhagen (2) or Kuss (1) and then to look at how many of the fast men you take along. The tridente of Van Aert, Brennan and Laporte is lethal, and I will treat Wout van Aert here. Van Aert is admittedly the most expensive and not the fastest of the team, but he was immediately in for me. He had a bit of a mid season dip in the Dauphine (a little too much decompression after Paris Roubaix?), but he made a strong comeback in Denmark. Without real top form he won three stages and the overall classification, and at the Belgian gravel championships he showed that he has not been sitting still since then and is nicely sharp. He can score in at least as many stages as Pedersen and can also finish close in the points and mountains classifications. The only drawback is the presence of Brennan, which limits his potential a little in a few stages. Still, for me there is no doubt: Van Aert always delivers in grand tours and is definitely coming along.
Tom: Seppie GCKuss! Kuss loves the Vuelta. And he has a free hand for the classification, together with youngsters Tulett and Nordhagen. It is his third grand tour of the year, admittedly. But what if I tell you he has done that before? 2023: 14th Giro, 12th Tour, 1st Vuelta. And now in 2026: 13th Giro, 13th Tour and ...th Vuelta? Always take him.
UAE Team Emirates
Thomas: I do not need to cover Pogacar and for Almeida and Vine I am still waiting for some interviews. At this moment I find the uncertainty around Almeida too big and I do still dare to go with Vine. When I look at the rest of the team, I see insufficient value in Novak, Vermaerke and Sivakov. The last of those could still have gone for his own points a few years ago, but he was painfully dropped in Burgos by Niels Driesen (..). That leaves Pablo Torres and Ivo Oliveira. Both have potential for their own points and are therefore interesting, and I will treat Oliveira here. Ivo Oliveira, so not Rui Oliveira: we are talking about the time trialist and not about the sprinter (although he is the fastest man at UAE). Ivo Oliveira is a specialist in the shorter time trial and should be able to score points himself in the two time trials. As said, he is not slow, and he might get the chance from a generous Pogacar to get involved in the sprint+ or in a couple of breakaway stages, but I would not count on that too much. In the games with team points the downside is low and it offers certainty, but do you want to spend your budget on that? A doubtful case for me, also depending on what Almeida and Vine are going to say.
Tom: For me Almeida is really too uncertain. I am considering Vine very seriously, because of his time trial and his high ceiling. I even dare to say: if he does not crash he is worth his money. But that chance is 50/50. So it is tricky. For me it could well come down to a choice between Gall and Vine. I am also keeping an eye on Pablo Torres, but he will probably just miss out on my selection.
Uno-X Mobility
Thomas: It has been a while, but in the past Magnus Cort has been very successful in the Vuelta. His last appearance was in 2021, but now he is back for his final act. At the end of the season the likeable Dane is calling it a day and hanging up his bike. In the Tour he will have waved a lot, but the results did not come. I expect that on his beloved Spanish soil he will still want to put down some results. The route lends itself excellently to that and Cort can score in the bunch sprints, in the sprints of a thinned out peloton and in the breakaway stages. Within the team he will get all the freedom for that and he is priced in the lowest category. Not just a lifetime achievement award but also a well considered selection for Magnus Cort.
Tom: With THJ, Uno-X suddenly have a fine classification man on the start line. He was a bit disappointing in the Tour, but in this field a top 10 should certainly be possible. Not sexy, but steady.
XDS Astana Team
Thomas: A nice bunch of free spirits with riders who can handle a range of terrain, together in search of UCI points. After the Giro gem Silva, I will once again name a faster man as my Vuelta gem: Alessandro Romele. With this young Italian you do have to look through his results a bit, because he has spent most of his time acting as a lead out for Malucelli, Kanter and others. At the Italian championships and in the Tour of Poland he was allowed to go for his own chance twice and that immediately produced two third places behind a certain Jonathan Milan. He looks set to get more freedom for his own chances in the Vuelta, although I would advise him to make clear agreements with Fedorov. In the Tour of Belgium Romele showed that he can handle a few hills and that makes him a nice and distinctive pick for this Vuelta for me.
Tom: Lorenzo Fortunato then. An Italian in Spain always stays tricky, but he has peaked towards this race and has spoken out about his ambitions for the mountains jersey. He also looks on track with tenth place in Burgos. He gets the benefit of the doubt from me.
Frequently asked questions about your Vuelta pool in 2026
Who is the top favourite for the Vuelta a Espana 2026?
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) starts as the top favourite for the red jersey. According to Thomas Zwetsloot he stands in a class of his own, just as he did before the Tour de France 2026.
Which riders should I pick for my Vuelta pool?
A strong pool is a good mix of classification riders, sprinters and attackers. Read the golden tip from Tom and Thomas per team above.
When does the Vuelta a Espana 2026 start and how long does it last?
The Vuelta a Espana 2026 is raced from 22 August up to and including 13 September 2026, over 21 stages. The start is in Monaco with an individual time trial, the finish is in Granada.
Where is the best place to play my cycling pool?
We recommend the WielerOrakel Wielerspel, in which you play together with the whole community. Other popular options are Scorito and Sporza Wielermanager. If you simply want to play for free with friends or colleagues, then create your own Vuelta pool. The tips in this blog can be used on every platform.
Where do I find more tips and analysis?
WielerOrakel shares deeper analysis, rider cards and daily tips in the WhatsApp Community via Petje Af and on this site.
Finally
Have you made it all the way to the end? Congratulations, and good luck making the right choices. Above all, make your own choices. Are you playing the CyclingOracle FantasyGame? Then you compete with the community throughout the whole Vuelta.
Do you want more tips, or do you want to look forward to the next race together with other cycling fans? Join the CyclingOracle community through Petje Af.