Movistar name strong squad in bid for double Grand Tour success

Movistar is sticking with its famous three-pronged approach for the 2019 Tour de France, naming Nairo Quintana, Mikel Landa and Alejandro Valverde as part of a strong squad.

Alejandro Valverde and Nairo Quintana finishing one-two at the Volta a Catalunya (Getty) Source: Getty

The trio of Grand Tour leaders were all present in Movistar's team last year as part of a below-par showing from the talented Spanish squad. 

While aggressive and full of intent, the bold moves didn't pay off for the team and left the prestigious squad with a comparitively poor haul of results. 

Quintana took the sole stage victory of the Tour for the squad, the victor atop the Col du Portet on the shortest stage of the Tour and the diminutive Colombian was also the top finisher on GC, sneaking in to the top ten on the overall. 

The squad also won the team classification, an award they've scooped three times in the last four editions of the Tour.

2019 will mark the 37th consecutive appearance of the squad -always present at the ‘Grande Boucle’ since 1983- of the Telefónica-backed squad in France, and one of the most successful teams in the race during that time with seven overall wins, 14 podiums and 33 stage victories. 

Mikel Landa comes in with the hardest workload after finishing fourth at the Giro d'Italia behind teammate and winner Richard Carapaz, with Valverde coming off victory at the Route d'Occitanie and Quintana finishing an indifferent ninth at the Criterium du Dauphine after a long period in Colombia training. 

Movistar squad: Nairo Quintana, Mikel Landa, Alejandro Valverde, Marc Soler, Andrey Amador, Carlos Verona, Imanol Erviti and Nelson Oliveira.