Eight Movistar Team cyclists will be present at the 2013 UCI Elite Road World Championships with Jonathan Castroviejo (Spain, 14th) and Alex Dowsett (GB, 41st after a bad day for the Essex rider) marking the Blues’ debut with their national squads on the individual time trial. The Spaniard will be back for the biggest event in the programme, the road race on Sunday, over 272km to decide the new holder of the rainbow jersey. Castroviejo will be joining two of his team-mates at the Spanish side: José Herrada, who was granted a place in the team after his brilliant season, and Alejandro Valverde, one of the biggest favourites for the medals.
The three will be joined by other five Movistar Team members in as much national outfits. A very motivated Nairo Quintana will be one of the top references for a powerful Colombian team, trying to take advantage from the hard parcours, as will do Rui Costa (Portugal) and Giovanni Visconti, with the local Italian team. Andrey Amador (Costa Rica) and Sylwester Szmyd (Polonia) complete the eight-man ‘squad’ from the telephone team, which will also see two of Eusebio Unzué’s signings for next seasons compete in the races this weekend: Adriano Malori (Italy), who placed 8th at the time trial, and Jasha Sütterlin (Germany), 13th in the U23 ITT.
MOVISTAR TEAM riders in the 2013 ROAD WORLDS
COLOMBIA
Nairo Quintana
COSTA RICA
Andrey Amador
SPAIN
Alejandro Valverde
José Herrada
Jonathan Castroviejo
ITALY
Giovanni Visconti
POLAND
Sylwester Szmyd
PORTUGAL
Rui Costa
Ron Callahan is the chief cook and bottlewasher at Bike World News, doing everything from website design to bike reviews.