Thirteenth year under Telefónica's title sponsorship
Longest-standing squad in the WorldTour peloton set to make its debut in Australia in just two weeks' time, with the deepest roster of its history (45 riders), looking to keep the progression forward from its encouraging 2022.
> 2023 Movistar Team roster: Men’s squad | Women’s squad
THE HIGHLIGHTS
– Fernando Gaviria. Without leaving aside the arrivals from a strong climber, Ruben Guerreiro, and a promising allrounder / rouleur in 19-year-old Spaniard Iván Romeo, the most resounding addition to our men’s roster will be the sprinter from La Ceja, Colombia, arguably the strongest rider of its kind the Abarca Sports organisation has enjoyed since Hunt and Barbosa in the 1990s, the late Gálvez and Markov in the new millennium or Fran Ventoso in the early 2010s. Supporting the Antioquia native will be an interesting mission for the Blues.
– Lippert and Mackaij. They are two of the most significant transfers in the 2023 UCI Women’s WorldTour. More of a climbing / stageracing profile in the case of the German champion, while the Dutchwoman is more of a classics talent, both are bringing an affable spirit to the group out of races and tremendous class in the peloton, which will surely help the Movistar Team’s women’s squad step up their game immediately. They. Will. Bring. Success.
– A calendar more diverse than ever. As the pandemic seems to have largely been left behind, the Movistar Team will return in 2023 to Australia – though only the men’s team will race the Tour Down Under – and the ‘desert tournée’ will be covered in its entirely, with both the women’s and men’s UAE Tours, the Tour of Oman / Muscat Classic and the Saudi Tour. The first provisional calendar also features Belgian late-season classics, while the women will tackle an ever-increasing WWT schedule.
– Without Alejandro. 2023 will be the first ‘post-Bala’ season. His void on the roads -the marvel from Murcia remains part of the staff- will be impossible to fill, and it will be the mission from our 30-rider men’s roster to continue seeking for new goals and make his absence not felt as much when it comes to result. A group standing for almost half a century cannot be denied its ability to reinvent itself!
THE CHALLENGES
– Enric: a step forward. The best Mas could be seen at the 2022 La Vuelta – where he was the fastest man on the mountains from all GC contenders – and more importantly at the Italian autumn classics. The motivation gained at those races propel the Spaniard to continue fighting for his biggest aspirations. France and Spain are highlighted on his 2023 schedule.
– Annemiek and her rainbow season. She wants to enjoy it to the max, because she couldn’t really do so in 2020 due to the lowest point of the pandemic. Retiring as she wears the most beautiful jumper in cycling is a honour she wants not to disappoint at. Classics + La Vuelta, then Giro + Tour are seemingly her two peaks (but does ‘Animal van Vleuten’ have something like a peak?) of form this year for the woman who makes everything possible.
– A luxury ‘second unit’. On their shoulders rested the extraordinary recovery the men’s team led over the second half of the 2022 season. The likes of Lazkano, Jorgenson (what a Tour de France from the American!), Sosa, Rubio, Pedrero, Serrano or Cortina + Aranburu, called just like the others to turn ‘silver’ into ‘gold’ if health and circumstances so allow, are only a few of the names from the Blues’ new gamble.
– Going for everything with these women! It can perfectly be the case that the Movistar Team goes into most WWT races with more than one gun to shoot at victories. The elegance and natural talent from Sierra; the consistent progression from Norsgaard; the already-mentioned Mackaij and Lippert; the perennial Spanish hopefuls in Gutiérrez and Martín; and the climbing talents of Patiño, Gigante or Aalerud can help achieve any possible goal.