First two additions to next year's roster
Cantabrian twins - a big hopeful for Spanish cycling through their strong junior, under-23 performances - jump onto WorldTour with Blues at age 19.
The Movistar Team continue to invest in the future of Spanish women’s cycling as they announced Wednesday the signings of Laura and Lucía Ruiz Pérez (Colindres, Cantabria, ESP; 2004). Joining from the Eneicat – CM – Seguros Deportivos squad, the duo will take the jump onto the WorldTour with three-year contracts ending in December 2026.
Having taken up cycling at just 5 years of age, both have followed an outstanding progression in your ranks, conquering multiple national titles. As juniors in team Rio Miera – Meruelo, Lucía claimed three international stage victories at UCI Nations Cup events in Gévaudan (2022) and twice at Bizkaikoloreak in the Basque Country. In turn, Laura was the 2022 national road race champion with her victory in Valladolid.
In 2023, as first-year under-23 competitors, both have completed two WorldTour events: the Vuelta a Burgos and, most importantly, La Vuelta Femenina, where Lucía -overall winner of the elite / U23 Spanish Racing Series, including two rounds won in Noja and Beasain- climbed near the top contenders. The two are currently completing Animal Science studies at the León University.
Lucía Ruiz: “One has always got goals in mind and dates in your head to reach them, but when you’ve got a chance like this, you simply can’t miss it. Joining a Spanish team makes things extra easier, and feeling so comfortable, supported, having full confidence from the team before day one after they invited us to the Alicante training camp last December – that was the main factor why it was an easy choice to join the Movistar Team.
“I would describe myself as someone who can do well in not so long climbs, and having a good final kick which can help me do well at small group finishes. Already from this first season in the elite ranks I’ve been able to get into good position in the bunch easily, so I think that will help me stay at the front at difficult sections or at the pointy end of races. I’m still so young, and I’ve got loads to learn and improve on – we will get there step by step.”
Laura Ruiz: “The confidence and good relationship we’ve been able to build with the team from quite some time ago really gave us the confidence to take this step. Having opened their structure’s doors to us from the very beginning, so we could learn how everything works, and getting to know the whole group – it made it easy to join them. Both Lucía and myself are still so young and we’ve got a lot to learn and grow from here, and we feel the Movistar Team is the right place to discover together how far we can reach.
“I’m someone who ‘needs’ hilly routes, with some significant elevation, to extract my best and leave behind the rouleurs and sprinters. I like the tricky, narrow courses, wherever some skills are needed. I’m someone who likes to ride for the team, help to control difficult race situations and extract the most out of the group by riding together in order to achieve good results.”