The 2026 Women’s WorldTour is already underway, with the Women’s Tour Down Under taking place over the weekend, but it’s a gradual start to the season, and we still have a few weeks to wait for many of the top riders to start their racing campaigns.
Names like world champion Magdeleine Vallieres, Ally Wollaston and Chloé Dygert have already opened their accounts in Australia, but most of the major Classics and Grand Tour racers are still in pre-season training mode, with most opting to start in February or March.
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease a Bike)
2025 Tour de France Femmes champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot is targeting the yellow jersey once again this year, and is set to follow a similarly race-light run-in, prioritising training and only the biggest races.
Last year, she started at the UAE Tour, but after an off-season elongated by ankle surgery, she’s pushed her debut back for 2026 and will kick off at Strade Bianche (March 7), followed by the Tour of Flanders. She’s set to skip Paris-Roubaix, despite winning it in 2025, giving full leadership to Marianne Vos. She’ll then race the Ardennes and the Vuelta Femenina before the summer is likely all about training for the Tour and trying to defend her title.
“The high expectations for the coming year give me extra motivation to improve,” she said. “I perform better when there’s pressure, so I see very little negative in those expectations. I’m absolutely ready to give the best of myself again.”
Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ)
Just as she did last year, Elisa Longo Borghini is set to start her season at the UAE Tour (February 5-8), racing as the leader of the home squad UAE Team ADQ. Even before moving to the Emirati…
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