Unibet Rose Rockets Get Historic Giro d'Italia Wildcard After Tour de France Snub
RCS Sport has confirmed the 23 teams that will line up for the 2026 Giro d'Italia, most notably granting a maiden Grand Tour start to Unibet Rose Rockets. The Dutch ProTeam, who were controversially overlooked for the Tour de France wildcard in favour of Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, will finally get their chance to race at cycling's highest level when the Corsa Rosa departs Nessebar, Bulgaria on May 8.
The three wildcard invitations go to Unibet Rose Rockets, Bardiani CSF 7 Saber and Polti VisitMalta. The selection joins 18 UCI WorldTeams and two ProTeams — Pinarello-Q36.5 and Tudor — who qualified automatically through the 2025 rankings. Cofidis opted not to take up their place, freeing an additional wildcard slot that ultimately went to the Rose Rockets.
For Unibet Rose Rockets, the invitation represents a landmark moment. The team's roster includes multiple Grand Tour stage winners, headlined by sprinter Dylan Groenewegen and veteran climber Wout Poels. Team manager Grischa Niermann described the selection as "an incredible opportunity" and confirmed the squad would "race offensively and be visible from stage one." Groenewegen will be among the favourites for the flat sprint finishes, while Poels brings invaluable experience in the mountains.
The two Italian wildcards follow Giro tradition. Bardiani CSF return for another tilt at their home Grand Tour, where their aggressive racing style has produced memorable breakaway victories in recent editions. Polti VisitMalta, who have steadily improved since their relaunch, bring a squad capable of targeting individual stage wins across the three weeks.
The confirmed startlist is shaping up to be one of the strongest in recent Giro history. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) makes his Giro debut as the headline favourite, alongside Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost), Jai Hindley and Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe). Stage hunters Filippo Ganna, Marc Hirschi and Alberto Bettiol add further firepower to what promises to be a compelling race across 3,459 kilometres and over 50,000 metres of climbing.
The 109th Giro d'Italia runs from May 8 to May 31, beginning with the first-ever Grand Tour stages in Bulgaria before heading to Italy for a demanding route that culminates in Rome. With Vingegaard confirmed as the GC favourite, Carapaz racing back from surgery and a raft of hungry outsiders, the 2026 Corsa Rosa has all the ingredients for three weeks of unforgettable racing.
2026 Giro d'Italia — Wildcard Teams:
1. Unibet Rose Rockets (Grand Tour debut)
2. Bardiani CSF 7 Saber
3. Polti VisitMalta