The UCI has published the list of women’s and men’s professional road teams that have submitted the essential registration documents for the 2026 season.
Candidates had until 15 October to submit their registration files, and the UCI is now assessing the applications.
While many team names remain the same as the 2025 season, the UCI’s list reveals Tom Pidcock’s team will start using Pinarello bicycles.
Now called Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, it was rumoured that Pidcock’s squad would be switching to Pinarello from Scott.
Since joining the team, Pidcock has ridden Scott bikes on the road but stuck to Pinarello for off-road racing, most recently riding a Pinarello Dogma GR at the Gravel World Championships.
However, Pinarello’s owner is Ivan Glasenberg, a mining billionaire who also has a controlling interest in the squad’s other sponsor Q36.5, the Italian cycling clothing company. So, Pinarello now sponsoring the team can be seen as Glasenberg aligning his interests.
Ineos Grenadiers confirmed last week that it will continue its partnership with Pinarello for another three years, following speculation earlier in the season that it may be forced to find a new supplier.
This also raises the question of whether Scott will provide another team with bikes. Scott hasn't yet responded to our request for comment.
The list of team names will also attract attention, after Israel–Premier Tech revealed it would change the team's name. Factor and Premier Tech threatened to withdraw their sponsorship of the squad, following continued protests at the Vuelta a España.
The UCI’s list reveals that Israel–Premier Tech is listed as Cycling Academy, but a spokesperson for the team told BikeRadar this won’t be the name. Instead, it is a placeholder for the UCI registration prior to announcing a new name.
The UCI, cycling’s international governing body, says the applications are broken down into:
- 16 women’s teams for registration as UCI Women's WorldTeams
- 20 men’s teams for registration as UCI WorldTeams
- 6 women’s teams for registration as UCI Women's ProTeams
- 14 men’s teams for registration as UCI ProTeams
Not all teams submitted the essential documents by the deadline last week, but the UCI has included them in the above count. “However, they still have the possibility to rectify their situation before the end of the registration process, which would enable them to be registered for the 2026 season,” the UCI said.
The final list of teams registered for the upcoming season will be published on 10 December.
