Movistar has held its official team presentation at the Madrid headquarters of the telecommunications brand, confirming success in the Grand Tours and further success in the WorldTour team ranking as major goals for 2016.
All the team’s 27 riders attended, bar Carlos Betancur who had apparent visa problems and Adriano Malori, who remains in hospital on Argentina after his crash at the Tour de San Luis. Riders arrived from the Tour Down Under in Australia and the Tour de San Luis in Argentina – won by Dayer Quintana, for the presentation and the start of the new European season.
2016 marks the sixth season of sponsorship by Movistar, which has key interests in Spain and South America. During the past five years, Eusebio Unzué's team has won nearly 150 races, finished as the World Number One Team in the WorldTour rankings for the last three years and achieved podium places in the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España.
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Last year Quintana and Valverde stood on the final podium of the Tour de France flanking winner Chris Froome (Team Sky), Britain’s Alex Dowsett set a new World Hour record, 21 years after Miguel Indurain, and Andrey Amador finished fourth overall in the Giro d'Italia. Movistar won a total of 31 races in 2015.
“Our goals are not anything we didn’t do during the last few years, so they’re achievable, and I’m also excited about the progression of our youngsters, the talent of our two big leaders and the huge team behind us. Together with our partners, the whole squad is fully focused on fulfilling the biggest goals, and under Telefónica’s sponsorship, we’re calm and confident that we will be able to fight for the Tour and many other big races.” Unzue said.
Nairo Quintana was again the centre of attention, alongside Alejandro Valverde. Quintana will target the Tour de France in 2016, with Valverde going for the Giro d’Italia on his debut in the Italian Grand Tour.
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