Giro helps Vuelta and offers Spanish ProTeams wildcard invites

The organization of the Giro d’Italia intends to invite one Spanish ProTeam for the upcoming 2026 edition. Cofidis had a guaranteed wildcard for the Giro d’Italia, but the French team has declined participation. Subsequently, approaches have been made from Italy to the Spanish ProTeams, according to multiple sources from both countries who confided in Cyclingflash.com.

In Spain, the Vuelta a España annually has four ProTeams competing for two spots. For a few years now, the organization has invited the four teams on a rotational basis. One year (such as in 2025) Burgos BH and Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, the other year Equipo Kern Pharma and Euskaltel-Euskadi. Normally, the latter pair would be up again in 2026, if it weren’t for the Basques (Euskaltel-Euskadi) finishing outside the top-30 of the UCI Team Ranking last year. Since last year, this ranking position became a prerequisite for eligibility for wildcards in the following season.

The Vuelta expects Tudor Pro Cycling, Pinarello-Q36.5, and Cofidis (in that order the top three ProTeams of 2025) to use their starting rights. In that case, Unipublic has two wildcards left for three Spanish ProTeams. Equipo Kern Pharma would be next in line – that team counts on a wildcard according to team boss Juanjo Oroz – and so the organization must choose between Burgos BH and Caja Rural-Seguros RGA. The Giro has now reportedly asked these latter two teams if they would like to take Cofidis’ place in May. The Vuelta would then offer a wildcard to the other.

Pablo Castrillo gave Kern Pharma as many as two (out of a total of three) Vuelta stage wins in 2024 – photo: fotopersburo Cor Vos

All ProTeams satisfied(?)
Behind the scenes, the organizers are actively working on this plan. The question is whether and which Spanish ProTeam will respond to the request. From a sporting perspective, the Giro is already a challenge for Caja Rural-Seguros RGA and Burgos BH, but with teams like these, sponsor interests always play a role. Interestingly, both Caja Rural (Stefano Oldani, even a former Giro stage winner) and Burgos (climber Lorenzo Quartucci) signed an Italian rider during the last transfer window. For Burgos, it is even their first Italian ever since turning professional in 2018. Caja Rural-Seguros RGA is said to enjoy the Giro's preference.

In total, seven ProTeams managed to qualify to be eligible for a wildcard. Besides the Spanish teams, these are VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè and Polti-VisitMalta from Italy and the French teams TotalEnergies and Unibet Rose Rockets. Should either Caja Rural or Burgos accept the Giro's advances, then in practice all qualified ProTeams can ride a Grand Tour in 2026. For the Tour de France, a wildcard for at least TotalEnergies is expected. With the plan forged by the Giro and Vuelta, the chances for Unibet Rose Rockets to get a Tour wildcard would increase even more.

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Five wildcards from 2025 onwards

Until 2025, Grand Tours had four wildcards available. In theory, two of those had to be offered to the two highest-ranked ProTeams in the UCI Team Ranking from the previous calendar year. If one or both of those ProTeams declined the starting rights, the organizers got the wildcard back and could add it to two wildcards of free choice. In practice, one team occasionally declined participation, but two never happened. Usually, the free wildcards go to ProTeams from the host country of the race.

Due to the arrival of strong ‘foreign’ ProTeams such as Uno-X Mobility, Tudor Pro Cycling, and Pinarello-Q36.5 (as the team will be called from 2026), a (luxury) problem arose last year. All these teams wanted to compete in one or more Grand Tours, resulting in the three organizers having more demand than supply. RCS Sport (Giro), ASO (Tour de France), and Unipublic (Vuelta; Unipublic is part of the ASO portfolio) applied to the Professional Cycling Council (PCC) to allow an additional wildcard to be distributed. This was approved by the PCC after a vote.

Later in 2025, an agreement was reached to continue offering the five wildcards in the future. UCI rules now require a Grand Tour to consist of at least 22 teams. The peloton may have a maximum of 184 riders, which corresponds to 23 teams of eight riders each. Moreover, there must always be at least one team from the host country among the participating teams. This rule is especially important in Italy, as this country does not have a WorldTeam.