After Enric Mas was ruled out of the Vuelta a España and the rest of the season due to thrombophlebitis, Movistar are set to be without two more big names at the Spanish Grand Tour – former winner Nairo Quintana and Fernando Gaviria.
Movistar team boss Eusebio Unzué revealed the news, speaking on Colombian sports radio network Antena 2, with Quintana ruled out due to needing more time to recover from a crash, and the lack of flat sprints doing for Gaviria's chances.
"Nairo was one of the doubts, but we've ruled him out for the Vuelta. After his crash at the Vuelta a Burgos, the rider needs time to recover," said Unzué on La Hora del Ciclismo, with Quintana pulling before stage 4, having crashed heavily a day prior.
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The Colombian star won the 2016 Vuelta riding for Movistar, but at 35, he has faded in the latter years of his career. His most recent Grand Tour appearance was at this year's Giro d'Italia, where he finished 25th overall and helped Einer Rubio manage a top 10 overall placing.
"In this Vuelta a España, there are practically no more than three or four clear sprint finishes," he added. "In fact, because of that, I don't think there will be many sprinters; it's a Vuelta with a lot of mountains. This is the main reason why Gaviria won't be participating."
This will be the first season since 2016 that Gaviria doesn't race a Grand Tour, having burst onto the scene in three-week races with seven stage wins in his first three appearances. At 30, he also doesn't yet have a new contract with Movistar or a team for 2026 confirmed.
It leaves Unzué without a wealth of options for his team's home Grand Tour, with a team confirmation to come on Tuesday, four days ahead of the Vuelta's start in Turin on Saturday. Only two of the eight sports were yet to be decided before this weekend, though.
"Next Tuesday, we'll make the final decision on who's chosen for the Vuelta. Although we already have a team roughly 80 per cent defined, there are a couple of riders we still have to make a decision on," said Unzué.
"We have six riders already, but we'll finalize everything this weekend."
Without last year's Vuelta's third-place finisher, Mas, whose season ended on August 5, Movistar are heading towards the final Grand Tour of the season with no real GC leader.
Among the riders provisionally expected to start, according to FirstCycling, are double stage winner in 2024, Pablo Castrillo, and Tour Down Under runner-up Javier Romo.
