'Very exciting new chapter' - Matt White joins Movistar as co-head of new Race Department after leaving Jayco-AlUla

After unexpectedly departing from his role at Jayco-AlUla and parent organisation GreenEdge Cycling in May, Matt White has taken on a new role with Movistar ahead of the 2026 racing season.

The Australian joins the Spanish-based WorldTour team as co-head of the new racing department, alongside Chente García Acosta. The pair will be responsible for coordinating, planning and sports management fundamental to the team's competitive strategy, according to an announcement issued by Movistar on Wednesday.

"After more than 15 years as sporting director, I'm starting a very exciting new chapter, eager to contribute my experience and help the team succeed," White stated.

"I've always had a deep respect for Movistar Team, and being able to be a part of it from within is incredibly motivating.”

GreenEdge Cycling, the umbrella organisation that manages the men's Jayco-AlUla and women's Liv-AlUla-Jayco WorldTour teams, announced this spring that an unexpected restructuring of their performance group led to White stepping aside from the organisation with immediate effect.

At that time, GreenEdge Cycling said White had been a central figure to the organisation's growth and identity since its inception.

"His passion, leadership, and tactical insight have led to unforgettable successes – Grand Tour stage victories, major one-day race wins, and the continued development of the team’s high-performance programs," the team stated.

Now, as part of the Movistar Team, White will integrate into its new restructuring process, which is part of the Sports Area, and is led by Sebastián Unzué, Head of Sports. According to the announcement, the reorganisation includes the creation and consolidation of four key departments: Performance, Career, Health and Riders, each with specialised managers who will coordinate their respective areas.

In addition to García Acosta and White taking over the Race Department, Iván Velasco and Xabier Muriel will lead the areas of performance, engineering and biomechanics, nutrition and R&D to maximize the competitive potential of the athletes.

Iñigo Michelena will be responsible for coordinating medical aspects, and a Riders Department has been created that will include representatives from the team.

“We want to continue evolving as an organization and provide the team with a modern, efficient structure aligned with the demands of modern cycling," said Unzué. “This new model will allow us to optimize processes and strengthen collaboration between all departments .”