Jhonatan Narváez has signed a long-term contract extension with UAE Team Emirates-XRG, keeping the Ecuadorian rider with the squad until the end of 2029.
The new deal secures one of the team’s most versatile riders through what should be the prime years of his career. Since joining UAE Team Emirates-XRG ahead of the 2025 season, Narváez has become a valuable presence across Grand Tours, Classics and stage races, combining attacking instinct with the ability to work for the team’s biggest leaders.
Narváez commits long-term future to UAE
Narváez made an immediate impression after moving to UAE Team Emirates-XRG, winning his first race in team colours at the Tour Down Under in Australia. That early success set the tone for a spell in which he has become one of the squad’s most useful and dynamic riders.
His value has not only come through individual results. Narváez was also part of the team structure that helped Tadej Pogačar to success at the 2025 Tour de France, showing his ability to contribute to major collective targets as well as chase his own opportunities.
The extension through 2029 gives UAE Team Emirates-XRG another long-term piece in a squad already built around depth, flexibility and winning across almost every type of race.
Narváez: ‘This was the right place for me’
Narváez said the confidence he felt inside the team made the decision to extend straightforward.
“I’m very happy to extend my contract with UAE Team Emirates-XRG,” Narváez said. “From the moment I arrived, I felt the confidence of the team and I quickly knew this was the right place for me.”
He pointed to the wider team environment as one of the reasons behind his decision.
“We have an incredible group of riders and staff, and every day there is a real desire to improve and win together,” he said.
That sense of collective ambition has been central to UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s recent strength. The team has continued to build a roster where riders can win for themselves while also fitting into Grand Tour support systems and one-day race plans.
Photo Credit: GettyGiro d’Italia breakthrough confirms 2026 form
Narváez’s 2026 season has been one of the strongest of his career, even after a serious injury in January disrupted the start of his year.
His Giro d’Italia campaign became the clearest sign of that level. Narváez won three stages, wore the ciclamino jersey and emerged as one of the defining riders of the race. That performance underlined why UAE Team Emirates-XRG have moved to secure him long term.
He also added a stage victory at the Tour de Suisse, showing that his Giro form was not an isolated peak. The Ecuadorian remains one of the most dangerous riders in reduced groups, rolling terrain and aggressive race situations, where his acceleration and race craft can turn difficult days into winning opportunities.
Versatility gives UAE another major weapon
Narváez’s greatest value is his range. He can survive hard terrain, attack from selective groups, handle one-day racing and still commit fully to team work when the race plan requires it.
That makes him useful in several different parts of the season. In the Classics, he offers UAE Team Emirates-XRG a rider who can follow moves and attack when the race becomes unpredictable. In stage races, he can target wins on transitional or hilly days. In Grand Tours, he can support leaders, protect positioning and still take opportunities when given freedom.
For a team with ambitions across the full calendar, that combination is difficult to replace. Narváez is not confined to one role or one type of terrain, which is why his extension strengthens the squad beyond a simple results calculation.
UAE secure another key rider through 2029
The contract renewal fits into UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s wider long-term planning. Keeping Narváez until 2029 gives the team stability around a rider who has already proven he can win at the highest level and add value to the biggest collective goals.
For Narváez, the deal offers continuity in an environment where he has produced some of the best racing of his career.
“The last two seasons have been some of the best of my career and I believe I can continue to grow here,” he said. “We have already achieved a lot together, but I feel there is still much more to come. I’m excited to continue this journey and to keep contributing to the success of this team in the years ahead.”
Narváez has already shown why UAE Team Emirates-XRG wanted to keep him. The next stage is about turning that stability into more victories, more leadership chances and a continued role in one of the strongest teams in the WorldTour.
