Movistar men and women reunite for training camps ahead of season restart

Movistar announced Friday that their men's and women's teams will reunite for training camps to prepare for the late-season revised calendar set to start at the end of this month. The women's team will begin their camp in Pamplona on Sunday, while the men are currently training in the Pyrenees.

The team confirmed that the women's programme will begin racing at the upcoming Navarra Classics; Emakumeen Nafarroak Klasikoa and Clasica Femenina Navarra from July 23-24, and then Durango-Durango on July 26.

There are nine riders set to attend the training camp, including Barbara Guarischi, Katrine Aalerud, Jelena Erić, Alicia González, Eider Merino, Alba Teruel, Sheyla Gutiérrez, Lourdes Oyarbide and Paula Patiño. Not in attendance are Aude Biannic and Gloria Rodriguez.

The men's team have already started their training camp at 2,000 meters above sea level in the Pyrenees, and they will start their season at the Vuelta a Burgos held from July 28 to August 1.

Former world champion Alejandro Valverde is at the camp along with 10 other teammates, including Enric Mas, Marc Soler, Davide Villella, Imanol Erviti, Dario Cataldo, José Joaquín Rojas, Antonio Pedrero, Lluís Mas, Nelson Oliveira and Carlos Verona.

"The altitude camp is to improve their form right before the big races loom, all into a tight, 100-day schedule," read the team's press release.

Movistar announced at the beginning of March that they had pulled their men's and women's teams from all racing due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, and the UCI later cancelled all racing. The sport's governing body revealed the new late-season revised calendar in May, which will see men's and women's WorldTour racing begin on August 1 at Strade Bianche and continue with all three Grand Tours and major one-day races through to November 8.