ABU DHABI, 3rd March, 2026 (WAM) -- UAE Team Emirates-XRG has confirmed its line-ups for Trofeo Laigueglia and Strade Bianche, with Tadej Pogačar set to make his 2026 season debut in Tuscany on 7th March.
The reigning world champion will target a fourth Strade Bianche title in five years, having previously won in 2022, 2024 and 2025. The Slovenian leads a seven-man squad on the white roads of Tuscany, guided by Sports Directors Andrej Hauptman and Manuele Mori.
Pogačar said, “Strade is a race where I have unforgettable memories. My record there is pretty good and I hope that I will be in a good position again come Saturday. We expect there to be some strong rivals, the start list is always at a high level for these big races and it should make things exciting for the fans.
“It is my first race of the season, and I hope to have a good start. I’ve been cheering on from the couch until now, so I’m excited to get stuck in again and finally race. The team has been on a good wave at the moment with many wins already and we hope to continue that over the next few races.”
Joining Pogačar at Strade Bianche are Isaac del Toro, Jan Christen, Felix Großschartner, Domen Novak, Florian Vermeersch and Kevin Vermaerke. Del Toro, who secured two stage wins and the overall title at the UAE Tour in February, returns to Italian roads where he enjoyed a strong 2025 campaign.
This year’s Strade Bianche covers 202.7km, with 64km of gravel across 14 sectors, reduced from 80km in previous editions. Iconic stretches including Monte Sante Marie and S. Martino in Grania remain, alongside the decisive Colle Pinzuto and Le Tolfe sectors before the traditional finish in Siena’s Piazza del Campo.
Earlier in the week, UAE Team Emirates-XRG will compete at Trofeo Laigueglia on 4th March, seeking to defend the title won in 2025. The team has previously claimed victory in 2022 and 2025.
Sports Directors Fabrizio Guidi and Marco Marzano will oversee a squad featuring Benoît Cosnefroy, Felix Großschartner, Kevin Vermaerke, Domen Novak, Adrià Pericas and António Morgado.
The 192km race from Albenga to Laigueglia includes just under 3,000m of climbing, with the decisive Colla Micheri tackled three times inside the final 40km.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG heads into the Italian races in strong form, topping the UCI rankings with 13 victories so far this season.