Jefferson Cepeda joins the WorldTour with Movistar Team

XXXXXXX-year contract

Ecuadorian jumps onto cycling's top tier after completing his best season as a pro in 2024 with Caja Rural-RGA

The Movistar Team will continue to mix prestigious Spanish names with current, and emerging, talents from Latin America in 2025. The Telefónica-backed squad’s fifth male signing for next season is Jefferson Alveiro Cepeda (Quito, ECU; 1996), part of the Caja Rural – Seguros RGA squad, who has signed a two-year contract with Eusebio Unzué’s outfit, running through the end of 2026.

Under the storm of the Monte Aloia, 5th on the Queen stage of the 2024 O Gran Camiño. (c) Getty Sport

Cousin of Jefferson Alexander Cepeda (EFE), he has just completed his best season as a pro cyclist in 2024, with strong performances all around. 4th overall in O Gran Camiño and 5th at De Brabantse Pijl against powerful WorldTour names, as well as medalist in both Nationals -silver in the ITT; bronze in the road race-, he ultimately broke through with a stellar summer.

Alongside Sepp Kuss during the Queen stage of the 2024 Vuelta a Burgos. (c) Getty Sport

Winner of the Tour of Qinghai Lake (UCI ProSeries) in China plus a stage of the Tour du Limousin -just like his current, and future, team-mate Orluis Aular-, Cepeda shone against Kuss on the Lagunas de Neila (Vuelta a Burgos) and fought toe-to-toe with eventual winner Jan Christen at the Clásica de Ordizia. A talent with good strategy sense and a punchy climber to continue leading the Movistar Team to new heights.

REACTION / Jefferson Cepeda:

“Movistar Team is a team I’ve always liked, and I’m happy that I’ll now be part of it. I know some people in the team, and I think that’s going to help me adapt faster and contribute with my skills to achieve our goals together.

Being part of a WorldTour team has always been the goal that brought me to Europe. I’ve worked very hard, year after year, to improve and make it happen. This season, I was able to be very consistent and perform at a good level, which led to this opportunity. It’s a step forward in my professional career, and I’ll try to make the most of it.

After these years with Caja Rural, to whom I’m very grateful for giving me the chance to break into professional cycling and grow alongside them, I feel ready to discover new races and new challenges“.