Movistar’s diverse lineup for the 2024 Tour de France aims for flexibility

Longstanding Spanish WorldTour team Movistar is set to compete in this year’s Tour de France with a versatile lineup. The squad’s strategy will cater to general classification (GC) ambitions, breakaways, and bunch sprints, allowing them to adapt to various race scenarios.

Enric Mas leads the charge

Heading the team is the stage racing specialist Enric Mas. At 29, Mas is seeking to regain his form at the Tour de France after a challenging few years. The rider from Mallorca finished fifth in 2020 and sixth in 2021 but faced setbacks in the past two editions. In 2022, he did not finish due to COVID-19, and in 2023, he crashed out on stage 1, an incident that also impacted Richard Carapaz of EF Education-EasyPost.

Mas is recognised as Spain’s leading Grand Tour racer, although young talents like Juan Ayuso from UAE Team Emirates and Carlos Rodrรญguez from Ineos Grenadiers have been rising. Despite this, Movistar has strengthened its Tour de France squad with various all-rounders.

Supporting cast and breakout opportunities

Recently crowned Spanish National Champion Alex Aranburu, his predecessor and teammate Oier Lazkano, and new signing for 2024 Davide Formolo will all be given opportunities in breakaways. The team is also keen to see how Spainโ€™s Javier Romo will perform on his Tour de France debut at 25. Romo, alongside Austriaโ€™s Gregor Mรผhlberger and the Portuguese veteran Nelson Oliveira, will handle much of the general teamwork but will also have their moments to shine.

One significant absentee is Rรฉmi Cavagna, the former French National Time Trial Champion. Cavagna, who signed with Movistar for 2024, recently expressed concerns about his current situation in the squad, including language barriers and worries about his selection for the Tour.

Alex Aranburu
Alex Aranburu

Return of Fernando Gaviria

Another notable inclusion in the Movistar lineup is Colombian sprinter Fernando Gaviria. Set to return to the Tour de France for the first time since 2018, when he led the race and won two stages, Gaviria has already competed in the Giro dโ€™Italia this season. For Mas, who is also expected to participate in the Vuelta a Espana and has only 28 days of racing in 2024, the Tour de France marks his first major goal of the year.

Movistar line-up for the 2024 Tour de France

  • Alex Aranburu
  • Davide Formolo
  • Fernando Gaviria
  • Oier Lazkano
  • Enric Mas
  • Gregor Mรผhlberger
  • Nelson Oliveira
  • Javier Romo