Last winter, Wright joined Pidcock on a high-altitude training camp in Chile and immediately put in a strong performance at the Ruta del Sol. The spring was a bit of a letdown, but starting in May, he got better and better. He proved this at the Tour de Suisse with an 11th-place finish in the time trial\u2014always an excellent indicator for riders who don\u2019t normally focus on time trials at all.<\/p>\n
His national title in Great Britain<\/a> dispelled any remaining doubts we had\u2014Wright is going to do well in the Tour! Although Pidcock might have an edge in punchy finishes, Wright could be a more affordable alternative, provided he can keep up with the leading groups.<\/p>\n Fred Wright werd Brits kampioen.<\/p>\n Sebastian Berwick – Caja Rural<\/p>\n On paper, Sebastian Berwick may be a newcomer, but the 26-year-old Australian already rode the Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a in 2021 and the Giro d’Italia in 2023 for Israel-Premier Tech. He did so without much fanfare, though he did finish third in a stage of that year\u2019s Giro after breaking away from the peloton. His 2026 season, however, will certainly not go unnoticed.<\/p>\n Berwick has been riding for Caja Rural<\/a>\u2014the Spanish team making its debut in the Tour de France\u2014for 2.5 years now. With that team, he stepped out of the shadows this season. This was partly due to a sixth-place finish in the Tour of Oman, but a seventh-place finish in Milan\u2013Turin also captured the imagination in a very strong field.<\/p>\n In late April and early May, Berwick won the Tour of Turkey, followed in June by a fifth-place finish in the Tour of Slovenia. You can bet that Berwick will make his presence felt in the mountain stages from the breakaway, though we\u2019re also curious to see how this tenacious climber might fare in the general classification.<\/p>\n Berwick, after a grueling stage in the Tour of Turkey.<\/p>\n Ion Izagirre – Cofidis2026 marks Ion Izagirre<\/a>\u2019s farewell tour, but the 37-year-old Basque rider from Cofidis is far from done yet. He has been riding exceptionally well all year and has already racked up a mountain of UCI points for the French team. A fifth-place finish at the Figueira Champions Classic, seventh place at Paris-Nice, victory at the Gran Premio Miguel Indurain, and fourth place at the Tour of the Basque Country were all impressive results.<\/p>\n After finishing seventh in the Fl\u00e8che Wallonne and sixth in Eschborn-Frankfurt, Izagirre retreated to high altitude, where he fine-tuned his form ahead of the Tour de France. In La Route d’Occitanie, his legs were immediately back in top form, as evidenced by a third-place finish in the overall standings.<\/p>\n Whether Izagirre is going for stage wins in the Tour de France (like the entire Cofidis team) or perhaps aiming for a spot in the general classification in his final Tour, in either case it could yield a lot of points for what is undoubtedly not a very high price. He\u2019s already won stages in all three Grand Tours during his career\u2014will he pull it off in the Tour as well?<\/p>\n Ion Izagirre<\/p>\n Magnus Cort – Uno-X MobilityAs for Magnus Cort Nielsen, we have to admit that we did some groundwork during the Tour de Suisse, through a conversation with the 33-year-old Dane<\/a>. At the time, he hadn\u2019t yet announced that he would retire as a pro after 2026, but he did say that he has big ambitions for the Tour de France.Cort has already won one or more stages in all three Grand Tours, and as if it were meant to be, he claimed his first Danish road title<\/a> in his final year as a pro. Wearing his country\u2019s colors, he will head to the Tour, where\u2014just as for Wright\u2014an excellent course awaits him.<\/p>\n True sprinters don\u2019t get many chances; riders of the caliber of Wright and Cort can actually make their mark more in tough finals and breakaway stages than they did last year. Cort is an excellent climber, as he proved in the Tour de Suisse. And when he sets his sights on something, history has shown time and again that he delivers results.<\/p>\n Magnus Cort<\/p>\n Mathias Vacek – Lidl-TrekWe were a little unsure, because Mathias Vacek<\/a>\u2019s third-place finish in the Tour de Suisse<\/a> had already put him in the spotlight for the Tour de France and the various pre-Tour races. But with Juan Ayuso, Mads Pedersen, Quinn Simmons, and Mattias Skjelmose all on the Lidl-Trek roster, there may be some hesitation about selecting the 24-year-old Czech rider.<\/p>\n It\u2019s quite possible that Vacek will find himself somewhat stifled in the Tour, for example if Ayuso turns out to be very strong and blocks his teammates\u2019 chances of breaking away. Or if Pedersen performs better than ever and is able to ride strong finishes\u2014which, on paper, are also very well-suited to Vacek.<\/p>\n The advantage for Vacek is that he climbs better than Pedersen, and that this Tour de France features a lot of stages that are right on the edge for riders like Pedersen\u2014where they\u2019ll either hang on or get dropped. In principle, Vacek won\u2019t fall behind on a very difficult climb if he\u2019s set his sights on something. And so, including a team and individual time trial, he can score a lot of points for you.<\/p>\n Mathias Vacek<\/p>\n Ilan Van Wilder – Soudal Quick-Step<\/p>\n This year, for the first time in years, Soudal Quick-Step is racing without Remco Evenepoel, but that shouldn\u2019t dampen the excitement. In fact, many riders will be glad that Evenepoel is no longer standing in the way of their own chances for success. Ilan Van Wilder is undoubtedly one of them\u2014a rider who is thriving now that he has the chance to prove himself.<\/p>\n The 26-year-old Belgian had long been regarded as a great talent, but he often put in strong performances, particularly while riding in support of Evenepoel. He had hardly any results to his name, unless you count a 12th-place finish in the Giro d’Italia, where he was on track for a top-ten finish for much of the race.<\/p>\n After a difficult first half of 2026, Van Wilder will have the chance to chase a general classification title in the Tour. And if that\u2019s not quite enough, he can go on the attack in the mountains. Once again, you won\u2019t be paying top dollar for a team leader who\u2019s ready to deliver for 21 days. His fifth-place finish in the Tour de Suisse<\/a> demonstrated Van Wilder\u2019s potential once more. Ilan Van Wilder<\/p>\n Jai Hindley – Red Bull-BORA-hansgroheIt\u2019s kind of strange to include the third-place finisher in the Giro d\u2019Italia in your top ten picks for points in fantasy Tour de France, but at Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, Jai Hindley<\/a> is essentially nothing more than a domestique<\/a> in July. Evenepoel and Florian Lipowitz lead the team; Hindley needs to be there in the mountains.The fact is, however, that Hindleyrode his best at the Giro during the final week, and after finishing third in the overall standings, he casually told us that he had never felt so fresh after a Grand Tour<\/a>. He was vying for a spot in the Tour de France, and his training in Livigno apparently made the case for him.<\/p>\n Hindley is undoubtedly a rider who will put himself on the back burner for three weeks to support someone else, but if Evenepoel and\/or Lipowitz don\u2019t deliver for whatever reason, Hindley could be a very dangerous contender. He\u2019s a diesel engine who, just like Jonas Vingegaard, might just end up performing a little better in the Tour. His role as a domestique could then, \u00e0 la Davide Piganzoli (Visma | Lease a Bike), also turn into that of a luxury domestique in the top ten…<\/p>\n Jai Hindley<\/p>\n Pablo Castrillo – MovistarAfter Wright and Cort, we have another national champion on this list\u2014this time, the Spanish time trial champion. But even if he hadn\u2019t won that title, Castrillo would have been an interesting pick for your pool. First and foremost, he\u2019ll score points in the team time trial and individual time trial, since he\u2014like the entire Movistar team<\/a>\u2014has been performing exceptionally well in races against the clock this year.<\/p>\n But in addition to his role as a domestique for Cian Uijtdebroeks, Castrillo will also get his chances on the climbs. The rider who surprised everyone in 2024 with two stage wins for Equipo Kern Pharma in the Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a can hardly be called a surprise anymore as a stage winner in the Tour.<\/p>\n You don’t have to start Castrillo in the starting lineup for the entire Tour, but he’s undoubtedly one of the more affordable options who can make the difference between finishing above or below your annoying work mate in the league.<\/p>\n Pablo Castrillo<\/p>\n Romain Gr\u00e9goire – Groupama-FDJ UnitedThis was another close call, because Romain Gr\u00e9goire<\/a> is certainly no longer a minor figure in the cycling world. He recently became French champion, but this year he also finished fifth in the Tour of Valencia, won the Faun Drome Classic, placed fourth in Strade Bianche, and finished in the top ten in all four Walloon climbing classics.After a training period, he returned with a stage victory in the Tour de Suisse<\/a>, so Gr\u00e9goire is likely to be on the radar of the average cycling fan. In the Tour de France, he won\u2019t be competing for the general classification, which makes him even more dangerous in all the punchy finishes and mountain stages.<\/p>\n The three major races Gr\u00e9goire has ridden so far have all been fairly unremarkable and anonymous. Has he now taken the step to really go all out? If so, he could well become, alongside Paul Seixas, the pride of France in the Tour de France\u2014and that probably won\u2019t cost you the top prize in any cycling game.<\/p>\n Romain Gr\u00e9goire<\/p>\n Matthew Riccitello – Decathlon CMA CGM<\/p>\n The last rider on this list is in a situation similar to Jai Hindley\u2019s\u2014one where you think, \u201cWe know him well, but isn\u2019t he just a domestique?\u201d Yes, if Seixas fulfills his potential in the GC, choosing Riccitello might not earn you many points. And we admit that\u2019s a pretty realistic scenario. But, just like Hindley, Riccitello could become a very interesting player on your team in two specific scenarios.<\/p>\n First and foremost as a luxury domestique, who stays with the pack deep into all the mountain stages and might even\u2014like Sepp Kuss in his prime\u2014ride alongside the world\u2019s best all the way to the finish. In that case, a potential helper would also rack up a lot of points. In a second scenario, Seixas doesn\u2019t go all out, and it might still be a step too far for the 19-year-old team leader.<\/p>\n Riccitello is a truly dangerous Plan B. The 24-year-old American really broke through last year with a fifth-place finish in the Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a, but Decathlon CMA CGM is expected to get even more out of this climbing specialist. He has already won the Tour de la Provence (including a stage victory) and the Tour du Jura this year, and finished well within the top ten in the Algarve, Catalonia, and Switzerland. Riccitello will likely be there as well.<\/p>\n Matthew Riccitello<\/p>\n Join the IDL Pro Cycling fantasy Tour de France leagueThis year we are running our own \u2018mini-league<\/a>\u2019 to allow the IDL community to fight it out for \u2018best DS\u2019. It’s just for fun and prestige, and to be able to say you are the best IDL DS on our facebook page<\/a>.<\/p>\n In order to join the league just follow the below steps:<\/p>\n Go to TNT Sports<\/a> and create your teamOnce your team is ready, click \u2018leagues\u2019 on the top menuSearch for IDL Pro Cycling Fantasy League from the available optionsSelect \u2018Join this league\u2019\u00a0We will keep an update of the league table on the IDL Pro Cycling website and facebook page<\/a>, so the whole world can see how your perfectly balanced team is getting on!<\/p>\n Any questions about the fantasy league email us on the contact details below. Good luck to you and your team!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"‘Playing along’ with the 2026 Tour de France is a great way to follow the race closely. Playing…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":774656,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[569],"tags":[64,63,784,60921,192407,89773,49603,96148,57970,215480,85,346968],"class_list":["post-774655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cycling","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-cycling","tag-fred-wright","tag-ion-izagirre","tag-jai-hindley","tag-mathias-vacek","tag-matthew-riccitello","tag-previews","tag-romain-gregoire","tag-sports","tag-tour-de-france-2026"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/774655","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=774655"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/774655\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/774656"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=774655"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=774655"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=774655"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"berwick\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/berwick.jpg@webp.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"ion](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ion-izagirre-6a455a59770fa.jpg@webp.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"magnus-cort\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/magnus-cort-6a455a59d0ff6.jpg@webp.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"mathias-vacek\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mathias-vacek-6a455a5a27be5.jpg@webp.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"ilan-van-wilder\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ilan-van-wilder-6a455a5a7a689.jpg@webp.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"jai-hindley\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/jai-hindley-6a455a5ac6e46.jpg@webp.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"pablo-castrillo\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/pablo-castrillo-6a455a5b21cc4.jpg@webp.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"romain-gregoire\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/romain-gregoire-6a455a5b6bf03.jpg@webp.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"matthew-riccitello\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/matthew-riccitello-6a455a5bb84e8.jpg@webp.webp\")
<\/p>\n