Movistar’s plans for the Vuelta a España have been hit again. Enric Mas is already sidelined for the rest of the season with thrombophlebitis, and team boss Eusebio Unzué has now ruled out Nairo Quintana and Fernando Gaviria as well. Speaking on Colombian radio network Antena 2’s La Hora del Ciclismo, Unzué confirmed Quintana needs more time after his Vuelta a Burgos crash, while a sprint-light route weighs against selecting Gaviria.
Quintana needs time after Burgos crash
“Nairo was one of the doubts, but we’ve ruled him out for the Vuelta,” Unzué said. “After his crash at the Vuelta a Burgos, the rider needs time to recover.” Quintana abandoned before stage 4 following a heavy fall the previous day. The 2016 Vuelta winner returned to Grand Tour action at the Giro d’Italia earlier this year, finishing 25th overall and playing a support role as Einer Rubio secured a top 10. The form was building, the robustness less so, and another three weeks so soon after Burgos was always going to be a stretch.
Photo Credit: GettySprint scarcity closes the door for Gaviria
“In this Vuelta a España, there are practically no more than three or four clear sprint finishes,” Unzué added. “Because of that, I don’t think there will be many sprinters, it’s a Vuelta with a lot of mountains. This is the main reason why Gaviria won’t be participating.” It would be the first season since 2016 that Gaviria misses all three Grand Tours. He burst onto the scene with seven Grand Tour stage wins in his first three appearances, but at 30 and with a sprint-unfriendly route, Movistar see limited upside in taking him to Turin.
Selection timeline and likely direction
Unzué said the final eight will be confirmed on Tuesday, with six riders already pencilled in and two spots still in play. Without Mas and Quintana, there is no obvious GC leader. That pushes the team towards stage-hunting, aggressive breakaway racing and protecting riders who can profit on medium-mountain days. Names provisionally expected include 2024 double stage winner Pablo Castrillo and Tour Down Under runner-up Javier Romo, profiles that fit a punchy, opportunistic approach.
Photo Credit: GettyWhat this means for Movistar at the Vuelta
The route’s balance of climbs and limited flat sprints nudges Movistar toward containment on high-mountain days and ambition on transitional ones. Rubio’s steady climbing could anchor the mountains points and top-15 ambitions, while riders in the Romo and Castrillo mould give Unzué options for long-range moves when the GC teams mark each other. The emphasis shifts from protecting a single card to spreading risk across multiple stages, banking results where the terrain and race dynamics allow.
