UAE Team Emirates Gen-Z, the development squad of the WorldTour Emirati team, has announced its thirteen-man roster for 2026. The very young Daan Dijkman and Mateo Vanden Wijngaert are among the most notable names.
Dijkman (18) is regarded as one of the best juniors in the Netherlands. The rider from Groningen finished second this year in the highly regarded Tour de Pays de Vaud, while also claiming victory in the Junior Tour in Austria. Dijkman excels in climbing but also performs well in the classics. Last year, he placed second in the junior edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
On the Belgian side, the 17-year-old Mateo Vanden Wijngaert stands out. Over the past year, he rode for Cannibal Victorious, the Lithuanian satellite team of the WorldTour squad Bahrain Victorious. He’s particularly noted for winning a stage of the Ster van Zuid-Limburg in his home province, and he also finished second on the final stage of the Boucles de l'Oise Juniors.
They are among five newcomers joining the team. Conversely, Adria Pericas Capdevila is moving up to the WorldTour squad, while Belgian riders Gibbe Staes and Duarte Marivoet are leaving.
