Jürgen Roelandts, who retired from professional cycling at the end of 2020, is set to rejoin Movistar but this time the Belgian rider will be in the car, taking on a role as sports director in 2023.
“My last team as a road pro was the Movistar Team, and even if my results there weren’t the best of my career, due to some injuries and bad luck, I really liked the atmosphere,” said Roelandts in a statement. “I was always a fan of this organisation, and I’m hopeful I can give something back to them.”
Roelandts spent the last two seasons of his 17-year career at Movistar, having also raced with BMC and Lotto. The rider took the Belgian road race title in 2008 along with seven other victories over his career, and stood on the podium of both Milan-San Remo and the Tour of Flanders.
Roelandts had been set to ride his tenth Tour of Flanders in 2020, a pandemic delayed October edition, however, the final stages of his last season didn’t go to plan as he injured his shoulder in a crash at the BinckBank Tour.
“When I stopped, following my shoulder injury in 2020 and everything that surrounded that year, with lockdowns and the like, I tried to set myself some new goals quickly, and had the chance to work with Trinity Racing for about 30 racing days, including the Baby Giro and the Tour of Britain,” said Roelandts. ”I loved to give advice to young riders, pass on my experience and guide them, and could also learn a lot myself.”
The 37-year-old said he had also pursued some personal sporting goals, from triathlons to mountain bike racing after retiring, but having spent his whole career on the road knew it was a world he wanted to return to.
“I’m excited to help them achieve their goals win races they haven’t at this point, hopefully transmit my experience from the classics, especially with the small details – how to ride cobbles, the roads, the tyre pressures,” Roelandts said.
Movistar, who have managed to hold firm in the WorldTour after a successful battle to avoid relegation in 2022, have also added two other new sports directors Xabier Muriel and Yvon Ledanois. Muriel previously worked with Murias and Caja and is also in the midst of a PhD in sports science while Ledanois is returning to the team after having being part of the Abarca Sports, the management company for Movistar, between 2005 and 2012.
A retired Alejandro Valverde has also confirmed plans to take up a Movistar staff role, liaising between riders, coaches, and directors.
