Movistar enter the 2026 season with a clearer competitive identity than at any point since the programme’s mid-cycle reset earlier in the decade. After finishing sixth in the 2025 UCI Women’s WorldTour team rankings, narrowly behind Canyon SRAM zondacrypto and ahead of Team Visma | Lease a Bike, the Spanish squad sit firmly in the second tier of elite teams, close enough to disrupt the hierarchy but still some distance from the very top.
What distinguishes Movistar from previous seasons is not raw firepower, but definition. Leadership roles are now established, development pathways are visible, and the roster finally feels balanced across stage racing, one-day events and future planning. The task for 2026 is no longer to stabilise, but to convert consistency into higher-impact results.
A points haul built on stage race authority
The backbone of Movistar’s 2025 campaign was Marlen Reusser. Her dominance in one-week stage races set the tone for the entire season. Overall victories at the Tour de Suisse Women and Vuelta a Burgos Feminas, supported by multiple stage wins at both races, confirmed her status as one of the peloton’s most reliable GC performers outside the absolute elite. An opening-stage victory at the Giro d’Italia Women and a Swiss national time trial title reinforced her authority against the clock.
Liane Lippert provided a complementary layer. Two stage wins at the Giro d’Italia Women underlined her effectiveness on hilly terrain and selective finishes, while her broader consistency ensured Movistar remained competitive even when GC ambitions were secondary.
Domestic success also played a role. Sara Martín claimed the Spanish road title, Olivia Baril secured the Canadian time trial championship, and Jelena Eric added a Serbian national road race victory before departing the team. These results contributed to Movistar’s steady accumulation rather than headline dominance.
The emergence of Cat Ferguson
The most significant development of the season came through Cat Ferguson. At just 20 years old, she delivered a series of results that moved her rapidly from prospect to genuine WorldTour contributor. Victories at the Navarra Elite Classics and Vuelta a Andalucía Ruta Del Sol, combined with a stage win at the Tour of Britain Women, demonstrated her ability to handle different race scenarios and finish under pressure.
She closed the season with victory at the Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium, an exhibition event rather than a UCI race, but one that reflected her growing confidence and visibility on the sport’s biggest platforms. For 2026, Ferguson’s role expands further. She is not yet a GC leader, but she is increasingly central as a stage hunter, one-day threat and rider capable of animating finales when races fracture.
Photo Credit: LaPresseDefined leadership heading into 2026
Movistar approach 2026 with a clearer hierarchy than in recent years. Reusser remains the undisputed leader for stage races, particularly those featuring time trials and sustained climbing. Her ability to control races rather than simply follow them continues to set her apart.
Lippert operates as a dual-purpose leader, combining hilly one-day ambitions with stage-hunting responsibilities at Grand Tours. Ferguson sits one rung below, with increasing freedom to pursue opportunities rather than strict protection.
This structure removes ambiguity. It also allows Movistar to race with intent rather than hesitation, something that has often been missing in previous campaigns.
Depth across terrain without overstating ambition
Movistar’s supporting cast provides versatility rather than dominance. Floortje Mackaij and Sheyla Gutierrez remain valuable in cobbled and transitional races, while Aude Biannic, Arlenis Sierra (who returns after becoming a mother) and Claire Steels contribute experience, positioning and race sense in one-day events. These riders are not leaders, but they underpin Movistar’s ability to execute plans deep into races.
Mareille Meijer, formerly Meijering, continues to offer an all-round option capable of aggressive racing or support work, while Olivia Baril strengthens the team’s time trial depth further. The Ruiz Perez sisters, Laura and Lucía, remain part of the long-term Spanish core, continuing their steady development.
Recruitment aimed at continuity and progression
Movistar’s transfer activity for 2026 has been deliberately minimal. Francesca Barale arrives from Team Picnic PostNL as a development-focused signing, offering endurance and stage race potential rather than immediate leadership. Paula Ostiz steps up from the junior ranks after a stagiaire spell, reinforcing the team’s emphasis on internal progression and national talent.
Departures have been limited and largely peripheral. Jelena Eric moves to Uno-X Mobility, while Paula Patiño joins Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi. Neither exit alters the team’s competitive spine.
Assessing the competitive ceiling
Movistar are no longer rebuilding, but they are not yet a genuine title-chasing superpower. Reusser’s consistency makes the team a reliable contender for one-week stage races and top-five Grand Tour finishes, but a Tour de France Femmes podium would still require favourable parcours conditions and race dynamics.
Where the team have progressed most clearly is in coherence. Defined leadership, improving youth contribution and consistent execution have replaced the reactive racing that previously limited their ceiling. Ferguson’s trajectory adds further upside, even if expectations should remain measured.
Outlook for 2026
Movistar enter 2026 as a team with direction rather than uncertainty. They may not match the sheer depth of FDJ United-SUEZ or the multi-pronged dominance of SD Worx-Protime, but they are increasingly capable of shaping races rather than merely surviving them.
If Reusser continues to deliver at her current level and Ferguson takes another step forward, Movistar can narrow the gap to the top tier. They remain one decisive breakthrough away from true elite status, but the foundations are now firmly in place.
2026 Movistar Team Roster
- Francesca Barale
- Olivia Baril
- Aude Biannic
- Cat Ferguson
- Sheyla Gutierrez
- Liane Lippert
- Carys Lloyd
- Floortje Mackaij
- Tota Magalhaes
- Sara Martín
- Mareille Meijer
- Paula Ostiz
- Marlen Reusser
- Laura Ruiz Perez
- Lucia Ruiz Perez
- Arlenis Sierra
- Claire Steels
