Following Uno-X Mobility, it's now Unibet Rose Rockets' turn to officially reveal its cards for the upcoming Giro d'Italia 2026. And just like the Scandinavian squad, the Professional team with French license is making its debut at a Grand Tour, thanks to the invitation received from the organizers last February. For the occasion, the team will field its most experienced and in-form riders, from the resurgent Dylan Groenewegen for the sprints to the versatile Lukáš Kubiš for mixed finishes, up to Wout Poels who aims to claim a stage to complete the circle after victories already in his palmares at the Tour de France and Vuelta a España.
There is no true general classification contender among the eight names and indeed the objective of Unibet Rose Rockets is clearly specified already in the video that officially presents the roster: "This is our big opportunity to make a splash in a Grand Tour - the clip proclaims - we're not just here to participate, our mission is to win our first stage". To achieve this, the team fields its best men, with a good mix of experience and talent. Here are the selected riders:
- DE VRIES Hartthijs
- FELDMANN Karsten Larsen
- GROENEWEGEN Dylan
- KOPECKÝ Tomáš
- KUBIŠ Lukáš
- LARSEN Niklas
- POELS Wout
- REINDERS Elmar
In order of age, one must start with veteran Wout Poels: the Dutch rider born in '87 will attempt the feat in the most complex stages, perhaps with a bold breakaway, so as to secure a victory in the Giro Rosa after triumphing at the Tour and Vuelta in 2023. This year his best result has been a 12th place at Milano-Torino, while his last victories date back to last year, with a stage win and the general classification at the Tour of Turkey.
This year the Giro d'Italia offers numerous opportunities for sprinters and fast wheels and it's no surprise therefore that Unibet brings both Dylan Groenewegen and Lukáš Kubiš to the Giro Rosa. The Dutchman is in great form in 2026, with four decisive victories and managing to beat prestigious colleagues such as Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step) at the Clàssica Comunitat Valenciana or Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin Premier Tech) at the Ronde Van Brugge. The Slovak national champion has not yet raised his arms to the sky this year, but has already collected nine top 10 finishes plus a fourth place in the general classification of the Etoile de Bessèges - Tour du Gard. Keep an eye on Dane Niklas Larsen who can perform very well in the time trial and also in breakaways on rolling stages, while Dutchman Hartthijs de Vries, Czech Tomáš Kopecký and Norwegian Karsten Feldmann will work for the team, including in the lead-out train for Groenewegen, which will see fellow Dutchman Elmar Reinders as the final man.
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