Katrine Aalerud

NEWCOMER. Not only to the Movistar Team, but also to professional cycling. Norway’s Katrine Aalerud has been racing at top events for only four years -three of them at UCI squads-, which hasn’t kept her from already showing impressive signs as a climber. Gathering as much racecraft as possible and learn from every race is the main goal for the Nordic rider, who will join a WorldTour outfit as the Movistar Team hopes to reinforce its roster for stageraces with her addition.

QUALITY FOR THE MOUNTAINS. Following a 2018 season marred by injuries, despite which she got to a top-20 overall finish in the Giro Rosa, 2019 was the most consistent season yet for Aalerud: she was 7th in both the Bira and the Tour de l’Ardèche, as well as silver medalist in the National ITT Champs -having already taken bronze in 2017-, which speaks well about her allrounding abilities.

CHANGE TO IMPROVE. It will be the first experience into a team outside Scandinavia for Aalerud, who will have support from one of her team-mates at Virtu, Italian Barbara Guarischi, as well as confidence from a group which has made big efforts to make her feel at ease, even before 2020. She actually shared long training rides in Tenerife, just before the first 2020 training camp with the Blues, with one of the Telefónica-backed squad’s references, Sheyla Gutiérrez.