Cycling and sponsors have a history almost as long as the sport itself.
In fact, the biggest events on the annual calendar were created as a form of advertisement, with newspapers L’Auto, La Gazzetta dello Sport and Informaciones responsible for founding the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and La Vuelta a España, respectively.
Bike brands followed, setting up their own teams from the 1920s.
Companies from outside of cycling got in on the act in the 1950s, and today, the professional peloton's team names are a smorgasbord of supermarket chains, bike brands, gambling companies and a couple of caffeine-filled concoctions (one of which you put on your hair…).
But, unlike most sports, team names change as sponsors come and go, with most big-money switches made during the off-season.
As big news as the signings of the transfer window, they determine the team-name tongue-twisters that fans and commentators will have to contend with the following season, while providing outfits with injections of cash that are more important to the future of a team than any rider.
From mergers and swaps to complete rebrands, here is a summary of the key sponsor swaps to get your head around before the 2026 road cycling season.
Every 2026 Men's WorldTour team title sponsor swap
- Alpecin–Deceuninck → Alpecin–Premier Tech
- Decathlon–AG2R La Mondiale → Decathlon CMA CGM
- Groupama–FDJ → Groupama–FDJ United
- Intermarché–Wanty → Lotto Intermarché
- Israel–Premier Tech → NSN Cycling Team
Alpecin - Deceuninck becomes Alpecin - Premier Tech
The Belgian outfit behind Mathieu van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen embarks on its fourth WorldTour season with German caffeine-containing shampoo Alpecin joined by new co-title sponsor, Premier Tech.
It takes over from the Belgian window and door company, Deceuninck.
The Canadian machinery and equipment manufacturer had been a co-title sponsor of Israel - Premier Tech, but stepped away after the negative publicity surrounding the team’s Israeli identity, relentless protests at 2025’s La Vuelta, and the war in Gaza.
Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team becomes Decathlon CMA CGM Team
After almost three decades in the sport, insurance company AG2R La Mondiale is stepping down as co-title sponsor of France’s biggest team.
It’s set to be replaced by another French company – shipping and logistics specialist CMA CGM.
Decathlon remains the driving force behind the team, which has competed on the brand’s Van Rysel range since the retail-park behemoth came on board in 2024.
Groupama - FDJ becomes Groupama - FDJ United
The other big French team of the WorldTour peloton, Groupama - FDJ, gets a minor name change for 2026, adding ‘United’ to its title after France’s national lottery rebranded to FDJ United in 2025.
Israel - Premier Tech becomes NSN Cycling Team
The beleaguered Israel - Premier Tech team has new title sponsors, a new registered location and a fresh look to its rider line-up for 2026, with Biniam Girmay the biggest signing of the off-season.
While you may have never heard of NSN Cycling, it’s the cycling arm of NSN (the 'international sports and entertainment company' co-founded by Spanish football World Cup winner, Andreas Iniesta).
The team is backed by Swiss-Spanish investment platform Stoneweg and will ride Scott bikes in the pro peloton.
The involvement of the controversial former team owner, Sylvan Adams, remains unclear.
Lotto becomes Lotto Intermarché
Belgian team Lotto returns to the WorldTour in 2026 with a new co-title sponsor, the French supermarket chain Intermarché.
The company had previously sponsored Girmay’s old team, Intermarché - Wanty, but made the switch with the merging of the teams at the end of the 2025 season.
Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team becomes Pinarello - Q36.5 Pro Cycling
Although not in the WorldTour, Tom Pidcock’s Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team is getting an additional co-title sponsor for the 2026 season, with Italian bike manufacturer Pinarello stepping up as a key backer and replacing Scott as the team’s bike supplier.
Both Pinarello and Q36.5 are owned by South African billionaire and former mining firm boss Ivan Glasenberg, who co-owns the Swiss team alongside Q36.5 co-founder Luigi Bergamo and manager Doug Ryder.
With a raft of signings including Fred Wright, Sam Bennett and Thomas Gloag, expect the team to be knocking on the door of the WorldTour very soon.
