The notable North American riders forecast to join Isaac del Toro and Magdeleine Vallieres as rising stars on the global scene in 2026

While North American riders aren't the most numerous in the men's or women's WorldTour, they make up for any shortage in quantity with quality. This past season, young riders from Canada and Mexico blasted to the forefront of the world stage with signature victories. Talent from the United States made progress at prominent UCI events in Europe as well.

Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) was the most recognisable North American in 2025, finishing the season as the third-best rider in the world. The 22-year-old Mexican star called it a "crazy good" season with 16 victories, including Milano-Torino, and second overall at the Giro d'Italia.

US riders on the WorldTour are becoming seasoned veterans. Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) won Paris-Nice, Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost) scored a momentous win at Dwars door Vlaanderen, and Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) won stages of the Tour de Suisse and Volta a Catalunya. However, Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) was the top US rider of the year, winning the Tour de Pologne, GP de Montréal, Tour of Luxembourg and the CRO Race.

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Although embroiled in a legal battle after an early departure from Israel-Premier Tech, Derek Gee-West is another huge talent from North America, sure to capitalise on his talent with whichever new team he ends up at. With top 10s in the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia and a stage win in the Dauphiné, the Canadian is coming into his prime at age 28.

On the women's side, Canadian women had a big year, led by Magdeleine Vallieres (EF Education-Oatly) soaring to great heights at the Rwanda World Championships as the surprise elite road race world champion at the age of 24. Compatriots Sarah van Dam (Ceratizit Pro) and Maggie Coles-Lyster (Human Powered Health) posted a wave of top 10s – Van Dam taking 17 in all and Coles-Lyster three. Van Dam earned a three-year deal at Visma-Lease a Bike while Coles-Lyster looked to reboost her fitness after recovery from Iliac artery surgery. There's also the huge multi-discipline talent Isabella Holmgren (Lidl-Trek), who at just 20 already took her first pro road win at Durango Durango Emakumeen Saria, so expect more from her in the coming year.

Proven US riders Chloé Dygert (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto), Ruth Edwards, Lily Williams (both Human Powered Health) and Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Oatly) had sporadic success throughout this past season on the world stage. Many of the most successful North American women this past year - Andrea Cyr (Fount Cycling Guild) of the USA and Sofia Arrelo (Virginia's Blue Ridge TWENTY28) of Mexico - were on smaller teams and stayed largely close to home to thrive at events like Tucson Bicycle Classic and one-day races in the American Criterium Cup and USA CRITS.

Last year, there were 13 men and five women representing the US in the WorldTour on 13 different teams. From Canada, there were seven women and one man – Ineos' Michael Leonard – at the top level on seven different teams, while Isaac del Toro was the only rider from Mexico.

In 2026, the numbers are slightly higher, with the NSN Cycling Team and EF Education-Oatly rising to WorldTour status. There are some new riders moving to the top tier, as well as emerging talent on the rosters for some ProTeams, who will look for milestone opportunities abroad.

Cyclingnews takes a look at the rising stars from North American – some familiar names and some new ones – who are eager to put up bigger results and make statements at UCI races in 2026.

Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) - Mexico

There are few riders who have exploded onto the scene like Isaac del Toro has since turning professional in 2024. The Mexican finished on the podium of the Tour Down Under in his first WorldTour race, having already won a stage, and after a conservative rest of his neo-pro year, he could hardly stop winning this year.

His first one-day race victory came in Milano-Torino in March, but few people predicted that he would come within seconds of winning the Giro d'Italia.

Del Toro's inexperience showed on the final mountain stage when, after leading the race for 11 days, he chose to sit on Richard Carapaz's wheel rather than follow Simon Yates' attack, and the Briton rode away to win the overall race.

After that, Del Toro won the Tour of Austria and three stages, two 1.1 races in Spain and the Vuelta a Burgos, then went on a one-day race-winning rampage, taking seven victories in Italy before doubling up in his national championships.

With Tadej Pogačar-like talent and panache, Del Toro was one of the most exciting riders of the season and will undoubtedly be one of the most-watched riders in 2026.

Magdeleine Vallieres (EF Education-Oatly) - Canada

A month after turning 24, Magdeleine Vallieres stunned the pro peloton by winning the rainbow jersey in the elite women's road race at the Kigali World Championships. The world's disbelief was Canada's gain, the Québécoise rider earning her nation's first gold medal for an elite rider at Road Worlds.

Vallieres, along with Mavi Garcia (Spain) and Niamh Fisher-Black (New Zealand), formed a three-rider breakaway on the final lap of the final 15.1km city circuit. She blasted away on a solo attack on the last cobbled climb and secured the biggest win of her career to date.

In her fourth season with EF Education programme, the Canadian with a vivacious personality and climbing ability to match had only won two races – Trofeo Palma Femina and the national criterium championship – both a year ago. She had focused on altitude training going into Kigali Worlds and saved energy riding behind her teammates in the first half of the race to pull off her "really shocking" demonstrative victory.

Now clearly visible in the rainbow stripes in 2026, Vallieres will move into a leadership role with her team, which moves to the WorldTour level for the first of three seasons.

Matthew Riccitello (Decathlon CMA CGM) - USA

Matthew Riccitello had a fantastic 2025 season, proving his mettle in the Grand Tours and climbing amongst the very best at the Vuelta a España. The 23-year-old American finished fifth overall and won the best young rider's white jersey.

Additionally, Riccitello was able to garner the result amid mass protests and huge pressure against his Israel-Premier Tech team as Spaniards raised their objections to Israel's conflict in Gaza.

The result was preceded by victories in the UCI 2.1-ranked Sibiu Tour – he claimed his first professional stage and GC wins in the Romanian race – but the Vuelta marked a significant step forward for Riccitello.

After three seasons with Israel-Premier Tech, the Tucson native signed with Decathlon CMA CGM for 2026 and will form part of the team's Grand Tour leadership plans alongside Felix Gall and Paul Seixas.

Riccitello has largely flown under the radar since turning pro three years ago, despite winning a stage of the Tour de l'Avenir and leading the race for three days in his first year.

He impressed in his debut Grand Tour at the 2023 Giro d'Italia with 11th in the uphill time trial, finishing third on a mountain stage of the 2024 Tour de Suisse behind Adam Yates and João Almeida en route to coming fifth overall.

With his new team, Riccitello will have ample opportunities and support to fulfil his boundless potential in 2026.

Alexis Magner (EF Education-Oatly) - USA

The 2026 season marks a tremendous career relaunch on the Women's WorldTour for California native Alexis Magner, as she adds significant speed to EF Education-Oatly after four years with smaller US-based teams.

Magner last rode a dedicated European campaign on a six-year stint with Canyon-SRAM, including two seasons when the team moved to the top tier. With the squad in growth mode in 2018 at the Continental level, Magner had a breakout year with victories at Drentse Acht van Westerveld and one stage at Tour de l'Ardèche, plus runner-up finishes at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Ronde van Drenthe and third at Dwars door Vlaanderen and in GC at Ceratizit Festival Elsy Jacobs.

Magner raced the last four years with L39ION of Los Angeles and Cynisca focused on US races, netting three wins at Athens Twilight Criterium and the omnium title at the three-day Saint Francis Tulsa Tough.

After winning a silver medal at USPro Criterium Nationals, Magner joined the US National team to finish the year in Europe. The 31-year-old earned two top 10s at the Baloise Ladies Tour before a serious crash left her with multiple fractures and a collapsed lung. The 31-year-old sprinter signed with EF Education the day after being released from hospital, and was motivated to race at the top level.

"Joining this team is the best motivation for my recovery. I still have the opportunity to get back to WorldTour level racing and accomplish what I’ve set out to do pretty much my entire life,” she said in a team statement.

Michael Leonard (EF Education-EasyPost) - Canada

Michael Leonard will get a fresh start in 2026 after three seasons learning the WorldTour ropes with Ineos Grenadiers. The Canadian time trial champion showed his talent at the UCI Road World Championships individual time trial in Kigali, placing 12th behind riders far more senior.

The winner of the Tour de l'Avenir prologue in 2024, Leonard has plenty of power, and with his new team, EF Education-EasyPost, will continue to hone his race craft and translate that potential into results.

Romina Hinojosa (Lotto-Intermarché) - Mexico

Twice a silver medalist in the elite women's road race at Mexican National Championships, Romina Hinojosa rode with Lotto Ladies in 2025 after several seasons with North American club teams, scoring top 10s at Tucson Bicycle Classic, Redlands Bicycle Classic and multiple days at Gateway Cup criteriums.

She gained international experience with the Italian-registered A.R. Monex club team and Team Mexico in 2024, earning two top 10s at Tour de l'Avenir Femmes and finishing seventh overall at a four-day UCI 2.2-level stage race in Italy, Premondiale Giro Toscana.

Hinojosa competed in her first Grand Tour with the Belgian team last year, the only Mexican rider in the Vuelta España Femenina. She finished 13th on a rolling stage 6 and was the only Lotto rider in the bunch sprint. Showcasing her versatility, she finished strong with 15th at the Tour of Guangxi Women's WorldTour one-day race before her podium at Mexican Road Nationals.

The 23-year-old now moves with seven Lotto teammates to join forces with seven other riders for the newly-formed ProTeam, Lotto-Intermarché Ladies. She's among a group of North Americans working for the top step of a UCI race, and at 23, Hinojosa is ready to prove her worth to her new ProTour team.

Riley Sheehan (NSN Cycling Team) - USA

Since bursting onto the scene by winning Paris-Tours as a trainee with Israel-Premier Tech in 2023, Sheehan has been steadily building on much-needed experience.

Having scored a podium in Eschborn-Frankfurt in 2024 and finishing just off the podium in the Famenne Ardennes Classic and Tro-Bro Lèon in 2024, Sheehan raced his first Grand Tour at the Vuelta that year.

However, a subpar Classics season this year meant Sheehan wasn't chosen for any Grand Tours, but he made up for it with fourth overall in the Tour of Norway and third overall in the Lidl Deutschland Tour.

In his third full season, Sheehan will be in the WorldTour with NSN's promotion, and is poised to have a breakthrough season.

Sarah van Dam (Visma-Lease a Bike) - Canada

Canadian Sarah van Dam finished as the highest-ranking North American rider in the 2025 UCI individual rankings for women, 39th. While a top 40 may not sound substantial, a deeper dive showed Van Dam amassed 17 top 10s in 2025, including third overall at Itzulia Women and fifth overall at Tour of Britain Women.

It was a stellar freshman season at the WorldTour level for the Ceratizit Pro rider, and it earned her a three-year contract at Visma-Lease a Bike.

Van Dam excelled for several seasons in US races on club teams, and in 2023 landed at Continental-level DNA Pro Cycling, where she earned two stage podiums and sixth overall at the UCI-level Joe Martin Stage Race and two stage podiums at Tour de l'Ardèche. That season she became the Canadian U23 Road Race Champion, finishing third in the elite women's division.

Van Dam has competed at the highest level on the track as well, winning six medals at the 2022 Pan American Track Cycling Championships, including gold medals in the team pursuit, omnium, and Madison. She has also appeared at three UCI Track World Championships.

A rider who thrives on hard, hilly courses, she'll get opportunities to contribute to her new team in the Classics and develop as a stage racer.

Riley Pickrell (Modern Adventure) - USA

Despite winning a stage of the Sibiu Tour and a podium in the GP Kranj, Canadian Riley Pickrell, 24, was not extended with Israel-Premier Tech, and instead has moved to George Hincapie's new UCI ProTeam, Modern Adventure Cycling.

The promise that Pickrell showed with stage podiums in the Tour of Guangxi and the Tour de la Provence, and a victory in the Tour de l'Avenir in 2023, should be able to shine through with more opportunities in the burgeoning outfit as he finds his way in the bunch sprints.

Megan Jastrab (UAE Team ADQ) - USA

A former women's junior World Champion on the road and on the track, Megan Jastrab has a packed resume for a rider who is just 23 years old. The California native has competed for five years on the top tier with Dutch squad Picnic PostNL (formerly Team DSM), and is set to make an impact with UAETeam ADQ for 2026 and 2027.

In 2023, she earned a victory at the 1.1-level Tour de Gatineau, showcasing her fast finish. She's had setbacks with various injuries across the years, but also significant podiums that show her potential, including second at Gent-Wevelgem and fifth in the women's U23 road race at the World Championships in 2023. This past season, she had a top-five stage finish at both the Vuelta Femenina and Tour de France Femmes, plus two podiums and third overall at Simac Ladies Tour.

Jastrab is still young, and she is still hunting her first WorldTour-level road victory. A fresh environment at UAE Team ADQ should give this established rider new vigour.