Challenge race preview

Movistar Team's two big leaders set to debut in Spain's opening race of the 2017 season

Just hours after the Movistar Team launch takes place in Madrid's Distrito Telefónica on Wednesday, a 12-rider squad directed by José Luis Jaimerena and José Luis Laguía will head to Mallorca as they take on the 26th Challenge Mallorca (Thursday 26 – Sunday 29), a series of four UCI 2.1 races up for both sprinters and climbers.

Alejandro Valverde and Nairo Quintana lead the lineup for the opening race of the season on Spanish soil, eight riders for each of the trophies. The squad is completed by Andrey Amador, Jorge Arcas, Jonathan Castroviejo, Alex Dowsett, Dani Moreno, Antonio Pedrero, Dayer Quintana, Rory Sutherland and two of the Blues' debutants for the new year: Nuno Bico and Héctor Carretero.