After three-decade gap, Basque company Etxeondo joins forces again with Movistar as apparel sponsor

Movistar have confirmed that Basque company Etxeondo will once again be their apparel sponsor from 2027 onwards, reviving a collaboration that lasted through much of the historic Spanish team's 'golden age' of the 1980s and early 1990s.

Etxeondo last sponsored Movistar back when it was the Reynolds squad, beginning in 1983 through to the mid 1990s, by which time the team's main backer was the Spanish bank, Banesto.

During that time, Reynolds/Banesto became a pioneering force for Spanish cycling in the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France as the country bounced back from its lacklustre era of the late 1970s. The team won the Tour with Pedro Delgado in 1988 and then Miguel Indurain from 1991 through to 1995, with Indurain also claiming the country's first-ever victories in the Giro in 1992 and 1993.

The return of Etxeondo as clothing sponsor for Movistar covers both the men's and women's teams, although the actual design of the new kit for both squads will likely only be revealed in early 2027.

"We are renewing a relationship that goes all the way back to the Reynolds years," Movistar said in a team press release. "It's a new phase which unites history with the development of race-competition apparel."

"Aerodynamics, comfort and protection in different kinds of weather will be the main focus points of our collaboration."

"The knowledge gained will have benefits beyond professional cycling. Etxeondo will transfer what is learned in the team to the development of its products to improve the experience of those who enjoy cycling every day."

Founded in the Basque Country in 1976, Etxeondo has spent the last five decades dedicated to the design and development of cycling clothing. It currently has two bases, in the towns of Irura (Gipuzkoa) and Castejón (Navarre).

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