Top American Tour de France Prospect Stays in Pogačar Orbit Rather Than Go Solo

Brandon McNulty is committing his long-term future with UAE Emirates-XRG and has extended his contract through 2030 in a move that keeps him alongside world No. 1 Tadej Pogačar.

The 28-year-old — widely regarded as one of American cycling’s top general classification prospects — has opted to remain in a support role rather than pursue what might have been leadership opportunities on a rival team.

“It’s a nice prospect to continue racing with UAE Emirates-XRG for the foreseeable future,” McNulty said Tuesday. “I’ve been with the team for several years now, and it’s a place where I’ve been able to grow a lot as a rider and as a person.”

A rider like McNulty has the results where he could be the outright leader on another team, but then he would be racing against Pogačar and the Emirati super team rather than with them.

In an era when American GC depth remains thin, McNulty’s decision to stay put doesn’t mean he won’t see chances to lead across the racing calendar.

The Arizonan clearly saw no good reason to leave.

“We’ve achieved some great things together, and I feel like I have the right balance here, I feel at home,” he said Tuesday. “Signing through 2030 gives me a lot of confidence and motivation to keep working hard and reaching goals with this team.”

Finding his space

McNulty joined the squad in 2020 and has since evolved into a key rider across stage races and grand tours.

Even with Pogačar at the center of the team’s ambition, McNulty still sees plenty of chances to lead. This week, for example, he is co-leader at Itzulia Basque Country in Spain.

A powerful time trialist who can climb with the best, he’s won 22 pro races, including stage wins at both the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España, as well as a breakthrough one-day victory at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal in 2025.

Last year, he hit a career-best ninth at the Giro while riding to help Isaac del Toro.

His engine and consistency have made him a key lieutenant in UAE’s stage-race stranglehold, particularly in the service of Pogačar’s grand tour ambitions.

At Milan-San Remo, he took a huge pull to put Pogačar into a perfect spot to launch the race-winning attack on the Cipressa.

For 2026, McNulty is on the long list to return to the Tour de France this summer to help Pogačar chase a record-tying fifth yellow jersey.

Waiting for America’s next Tour winner

It’s not known if McNulty entertained offers from other teams, but why go anywhere else?

That certainly crossed his mind during negotiations. At UAE, he still has a quality calendar with the world-class support on the peloton’s richest team.

Racing alongside superstar Pogačar adds another layer of experiences both on and off the bike.

McNulty already boasts six GC titles in one-week stage races or shorter, and at UAE, he will see chances to keep developing his GC upside. UAE brass do a good job at spreading the wealth among its superstar roster.

The contract extension comes as American cycling is still looking for its next big GC rider.

Sepp Kuss is the last U.S. male to win a grand tour with the 2023 Vuelta a España as part of Visma’s sweep of all three grand tours. The Coloradan climber has since reverted to his preferred role as a climbing domesqitue and stage hunter.

Matteo Jorgenson also has untapped GC potential and is seeing a return to the Tour de France this summer in a key role to help Jonas Vingegaard take on Pogačar.

Second at the 2024 Dauphine and a top-10 at the Tour that summer, the Idahoan won back-to-back Paris-Nice titles and was second at Tirreno-Adriatico in March. This month, he takes on the Ardennes classics and will face off against Pogačar at the Tour de Suisse.

Will this UAE deal help or stall McNulty’s GC upside? We’ll find out.