Two new names confirmed for 2020
22-year-old Dane, 4th in the 2019 U23 ITT Worlds and bronze medalist in 2018, adds his impressive physical abilities and talent to the Blue outfit; Edu, winner of the Vuelta a Aragón and a stage in Provence, to continue offering his all-around strength to the Telefónica-backed squad.
The Movistar Team announced Tuesday that Mathias Norsgaard (Silkeborg, DEN; 1997), a current member of the Danish ProConti squad Riwal Readynez, will be riding in 2020 for the men’s outfit managed by Eusebio Unzué, which will also feature Edu Prades (Alcanar, Tarragona, ESP; 1987), who has signed an extension with the Blues.
Norsgaard (over 2,00m) will be the tallest ever rider to be part of the Abarca Sports organisation, a powerful asset for flat courses and most importantly time trials. Bronze medalist in the 2018 U23 ITT Worlds in Innsbruck -he finished 4th last September at the Yorkshire time trial-, as well as national champ in 2018, Norsgaard also claimed the win at last August’s stage one of the Tour de l’Avenir, with a 120km breakaway he capped off with an excellent, final 30km solo.
Norsgaard, the Movistar Team’s 12th signing for next year, will be no less than the eighth member of the 2020 Movistar Team roster aged 23 years or under, joining Gabriel Cullaigh, Iñigo Elosegui, Juan Diego Alba, Einer Rubio, Johan Jacobs, Juri Hollmann and Matteo Jorgenson.
In turn, Prades has been one of the most remarkable performers for the Telefónica-backed squad in 2019, his maiden season in the WorldTour, with two victories: the overall classification of the Vuelta a Aragón, conquered in the last day of racing after regular results over all three stages, and a stage of the Tour de la Provence. The Catalan also finished 2nd at a stage of the Tour de Pologne and 3rd in the Klasika Primavera de Amorebieta.
Cover picture (c): BettiniPhoto