Joins Movistar Team meeting in Pamplona

Spaniard from Lizarte development squad marks fifth signing by Unzué's squad for next season; full team together in Pamplona from today

The Movistar Team announces on Monday that Héctor Carretero (Albacete, Spain; 1995) will be joining Eusebio Unzué's ranks from 2017 as a neo-pro from development squad Lizarte. Carretero joins Carlos Barbero, Daniele Bennati, Richard Carapaz and Víctor de la Parte into the list of Blue signings for the upcoming season.

The 21-year-old 'manchego', the youngest of the Spanish outfit's roster next year, is a very consistent rider in all terrains: a good climber, a powerful rouleur / time trialist and one with a great nose for all kinds of race scenarios. He's been able to claim victories in all of his three under-23 seasons with Lizarte, crowning that amateur stage with a fantastic 2016 that featured five wins, including the Clásica de Torredonjimeno (Spanish Cup for amateurs) or GC podium finishes in the Vuelta a Palencia and the U23 Volta a Castelló.

Héctor's signing takes Unzué's squad for 2017 up to 27 riders, 15 of them Spaniards. The full team of riders and staff will be gathering together this very Monday at the Castillo de Gorráiz Hotel Golf & Spa, in the outskirts of Pamplona, to get things rolling for the WorldTour's top-ranked team. The meeting, which, as in every prior pre-season stage, excludes bike rides and holds instead all kinds of medical checkups, technical adjustments, organisation meetings or sponsor presentations, as well as the shooting of all 2017 season-start multimedia content, will also offer a chance on Friday for media professionals to speak with all members of the 2017 squad.

The Media Day will include a press conference by Nairo Quintana, Alejandro Valverde and Eusebio Unzué, which will, barring any imponderables, be live broadcast through the official team channels (from noon Euro time).

Pictures ©: Oskar Matxin