Continental Cycling Faces Significant Team Reduction for 2026 Season
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The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) released its official list of Continental teams for the 2026 season on Saturday, revealing a substantial decline in registered squads for both men and women. A total of 105 men’s teams and 20 women’s teams are slated to compete, representing a 46% drop in men’s registrations and a 27% reduction for women compared to the previous year.
Global Decline in Continental Cycling Teams
The decrease in team numbers signals a potential shift in the landscape of professional cycling’s developmental tier. Just two years prior, in 2024, a total of 178 men’s Continental teams were registered worldwide. This dramatic reduction raises questions about the sustainability and accessibility of opportunities for aspiring professional cyclists.
Italy currently leads the men’s Continental team roster with 10 registered teams. France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States each follow with seven teams. Notably, several nations that previously boasted a strong Continental presence have seen their team numbers dwindle. In 2024, Colombia fielded six teams, while North America was represented by three Canadian and two Mexican squads. However, these countries have no registered Continental teams for the upcoming season.
US Continental Cycling Shows Resilience
Despite the overall global trend, the United States has bucked the decline, increasing its number of men’s Continental teams from five to seven over the past two years. This growth suggests a continued investment in domestic cycling development within the US.
Hagens Berman Jayco stands out as the longest-running development squad with a UCI license, entering its 18th edition. The newest addition to the Continental ranks is APS Pro Cycling by Cadence Cyclery, a Texas-based team featuring an 11-rider roster comprised of athletes from Ireland, Great Britain, and the United States.
Fostering the Next Generation of Cyclists
The role of Continental teams in nurturing emerging talent was highlighted by a member of the APS Pro Cycling by Cadence Cyclery staff, a four-time USPro road champion. “One of the goals as a Continental team is to give as many riders as possible the opportunity to still make it, even if it might be a little later in their career,” he stated. “Because rider identification is happening earlier, there are riders being missed [for top tier teams]. We’re trying to foster them and get them ready to be one of those riders to be picked and go on to the next level.”
South Africa Returns to Continental Competition
After a four-year absence, South Africa is back on the Continental cycling scene with Team Tshenolo Pro Cycling. The squad, which competed at the club level in 2025, boasts an all-South African 10-rider roster led by former WorldTour rider Reinardt Janse van Rensburg. Janse van Rensburg, a former general classification winner of the Tour of Langkawi, secured a silver medal in the time trial at last year’s African Continental Championships, a feat surpassed only by his new teammate, Brandon Downes, who took gold.
Women’s Continental Teams Face Regional Disparities
On the women’s side, Italy, Great Britain, and Germany lead the way with three teams each. However, the distribution of teams is uneven, with a notable absence of women’s teams in South and Central America. North America is represented by a single team, Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28 of the USA, which is entering its fourth consecutive season at the Continental level. Two years ago, the women’s Continental level featured 56 teams, including five from the US, and single teams from Canada, Panama, and Colombia.
The decline in Continental team numbers across both men’s and women’s cycling underscores the evolving challenges and opportunities within the sport’s developmental pathways. The UCI’s latest registration data provides a crucial snapshot of the current state of Continental cycling and prompts further examination of the factors influencing team sustainability and rider development.
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