Unibet Rose Rockets Favorite for Tour Wildcard: "The Chance They Make It Is Very Real

To be eligible for a wildcard, ProTeams had to finish in the top-30 of the UCI Team Ranking in 2025. Besides Tudor Pro Cycling, Q36.5 Pro Cycling, and Cofidis, those are TotalEnergies (22nd), Caja Rural-Seguros RGA (25th), Unibet Rose Rockets (26th), Burgos-Burpellet-BH (27th), Polti-VisitMalta (28th), Equipo Kern Pharma (29th), and VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè (30th). Assuming Tudor, Q36.5, and Cofidis compete in all grand tours, the Italian ProTeams Polti-VisitMalta and VF Group-Bardiani would typically receive wildcards for the Giro d’Italia, while the three Spanish ProTeams would compete for two wildcards for the Vuelta a España.

The highest-rated team
In the WielerFlits Podcast, our reporters Maxim Horssels and Youri IJnsen discuss the prospects of the French ProTeam with Dutch roots. “We compared the seven ProTeams that could get a wildcard based on their ratings on Cyclingflash,” explains Horssels. “Teams are scored based on the individual strength of their riders. We applied an algorithm where the value of the top riders per team carries more weight, and this can be broken down by specialization. This gives a clear overview. Looking at the overall score, Unibet Rose Rockets comes out on top. Just below them is TotalEnergies, the two teams most likely to claim a spot.”

Reference date: Thursday, November 6, 2025

The caveat is that not all teams for 2026 are finalized yet, so their ratings could still change. “Still, the Rockets look very strong,” says IJnsen, noting that it’s unlikely Tudor Pro Cycling, Q36.5 Pro Cycling, or Cofidis would give up their wildcards, although that is theoretically possible. “Overall, Unibet Rose Rockets currently has the best team, ahead of TotalEnergies. That team will definitely be there. It’s a French team with a long history and they have received wildcards before. They are also the second-best team according to the Cyclingflash ratings. Based on that and all recent developments, the chances are very high that Unibet Rose Rockets will truly be preparing for the Tour.”

Only a Spanish Tour start could stand in the way
The only obstacle IJnsen sees is the Tour’s start next year in Barcelona, Spain. “The Vuelta always alternates wildcards. In one year—like in 2025—Caja Rural-Seguros RGA and Burgos-Burpellet-BH start, the next year it’s Equipo Kern Pharma and Euskaltel-Euskadi. The latter fell outside the top-30 and is therefore not eligible for a wildcard next year. The question is: will the Vuelta—which is also managed by Tour organizer ASO—have to disappoint a team? Because all those teams have experience racing a grand tour. If Tudor, Q36.5, or Cofidis give back their Vuelta wildcard, that problem is solved. If not, one of those Spanish teams may still get a Tour wildcard.”