Blue outfit remains intact, stronger than ever

Nearly the entire Telefónica-backed squad's roster from this season, including all Spaniards, will stay with Eusebio Unzué's team.

The Movistar Team announces it has reached agreements with nine of the riders which made part of its 2018 women’s roster. The core of that program will thus remain intact for next season, as they take on the biggest races in the UCI Women’s WorldTour calendar following plenty of success together in its first year of activity.

All seven Spanish riders directed by Jorge Sanz this year will remain in Blue colours for 2019. The list includes National ITT Champion Mavi García; Setmana Valenciana GC podium finisher Alicia González; strong climber Lorena Llamas, runner-up at the maiden edition of the Volta a Catalunya; National Road Race Champion Eider Merino -who won atop the Mont Ventoux (Tour de l’Ardèche) and took 8th overall in the Giro Rosa-; Lourdes Oyarbide, winner of the Burgos round in the Spanish National Series; Spanish Individual Pursuit Champion Gloria Rodríguez; and youngster Alba Teruel, the current Spanish U23 ITT Champion.

Added to those names plus the team’s two confirmed signings –Roxane Fournierand Sheyla Gutiérrez-, two foreign riders of irreplaceable sporting quality and friendly character have also extended their contracts. Aude Biannic, a powerhouse devoted to the team’s climbers, will stay with the Blues after her French road race title and prologue win in the Lotto Belgium Tour. In turn, Małgorzata Jasińska has climbed up the UCI world ranking’s top-20 with extremely consistent, even brilliant results all over the season, including both Nationals races, a 5th place in the RR Worlds, runner-up finishes in Plumelec and Veenendaal or top-ten results in the Ronde van Vlaanderen, Plouay, Thüringen or the Emakumeen Euskal Bira. The roster still remains open for further signings later this autumn.

The Movistar Team wants to thank Rachel Neylan for her contribution as an expert competitor -a value profoundly appreciated by a newly-established team- and wishes the Australian rider all the best in her future sporting and personal endeavours.