Movistar Team have confirmed the signing of Belgian road race champion Rune Herregodts from UAE Team Emirates-XRG for the 2027 season. The 28-year-old has been linked with a three-year move to the Spanish WorldTour team since August, and his arrival gives Movistar more power for the Classics, long days on the front of the bunch and races against the clock.
The transfer was announced by Movistar Team on Friday, 6 November, ending speculation over a move that had been widely reported but not formally confirmed. Herregodts leaves UAE after two seasons, having joined the squad from Intermarché-Wanty in 2025.
Belgian champion adds strength to the Classics squad
Herregodts will arrive in Movistar colours wearing the Belgian national champion’s jersey, having won the elite men’s road race in Brasschaat in June. He emerged from a three-man finish to beat Jonas Rickaert and Fabio Van den Bossche, a significant result for a rider more commonly associated with time-trialling, breakaways and supporting teammates.
His biggest results before that breakthrough came from his ability to sustain a high pace. He won the 2024 ZLM Tour after taking its opening individual time trial, and his earlier victories include the 2021 Ronde van Drenthe and stages of the Ruta del Sol and Sazka Tour.
That profile makes him useful beyond any one discipline. Herregodts can work over long distances, handle exposed roads and make a difference in races where the winning move goes clear before the final climb or sprint. His Belgian title also demonstrated that he can finish off those opportunities himself.
For Movistar, the signing arrives at a useful time. Iván GarcÃa Cortina is leaving for Alpecin-Premier Tech after several seasons as one of the Spanish team’s options for the northern Classics. Herregodts is not a direct like-for-like replacement, but he brings the engine and experience to strengthen a group that needs to be competitive on the cobbles and in more selective one-day races.
A different role after two years at UAE
At UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Herregodts largely operated within an exceptionally strong supporting cast. His strength over long efforts made him valuable to race leaders, but opportunities to contest victories in his own right were limited. The move to Movistar may offer a broader calendar and a more balanced mix of personal chances and team duties.
That does not mean he will arrive as an automatic Classics leader. Jon Barrenetxea, Orluis Aular and Roger Adrià also give Movistar options on different types of terrain, while Herregodts’ ability to control races could be valuable in support of the team’s general classification riders.
His signing continues an active recruitment drive for 2027. Movistar have also brought in younger riders including Diego Uriarte from Equipo Kern Pharma, while reorganising the squad following departures such as Javier Romo’s move to Netcompany INEOS. Unlike some of those longer-term prospects, Herregodts brings an established WorldTour-level skill set that Movistar can put to work immediately.
