UAE Team Emirates-XRG are set to lose one of their emerging young talents in 2027, with Gen Z rider Mateo Ramírez exiting the team to turn pro with Movistar.
Ramírez, 20, from Ecuador, finished fourth overall at the Tour de l'Avenir this summer, just a few weeks after taking the runner-up spot at the Giro d'Italia Next Gen, and has established himself as one of the most exciting GC talents in the under-23 peloton.
His contract with UAE Team Emirates-XRG Gen Z only ran to the end of this year, though, and with their WorldTour squad nearly full for 2027, there did not seem to be space for him to turn pro this winter. So instead of spending another year with the under-23 team, Ramírez found a pro contract with Movistar.
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"I'm very happy and excited to start my WorldTour career with Movistar. It's a team with a huge history in cycling and I think it's a great fit for me, where I feel I can continue to grow, develop as a rider and gain experience," he said.
"I am very motivated for next year and I want to give my best, continue evolving every day and make the most of this opportunity to achieve the desired goals."
Still only 20, Ramírez has already shown where his abilities lie as a top-level climber and GC specialist, and while Movistar never lack climbers, they haven't always had a serious GC contender on their books.
After Enric Mas' victory at the Vuelta a España, their stock as a proper GC team has only risen, though, and Ramírez will join the likes of Cian Uijtdebroeks and Iván Romeo as their next generation of overall contenders.
Ramírez is already the team's fifth signing for 2027, and he will join compatriot Jefferson Cepeda at what is set to be a strong Movistar squad for the coming seasons.
"Mateo is a very talented rider with great potential for improvement," team manager Sebastián Unzue said.
"Our goal is to support him every step of the way in his development so that he reaches his full potential in the coming years. We are very excited about his arrival and eager to start working together."
A rare 'loss' for UAE Team Emirates-XRG
While we don't know the ins and outs of Ramírez's negotiations with UAE, and how much they wanted to keep him on their books, it's unusual to see a young talent exiting their ranks when their potential is still developing.
The team have a habit of identifying and locking in talent long-term. However, this move perhaps highlights the limitations of that: even when you have the budget to sign whoever you like, you're still constrained by roster space, and even the Goliaths of the peloton can't just sign everyone.
From Ramírez's side, he clearly feels ready to turn professional, and in the current era, making that step up at 20 is hardly unusual, so you can see why he sought a WorldTour contract rather than opting to spend another year at under-23 level.
So while it may be an unusual tale, a young climber leaving UAE, it's a good thing to see talent spreading around the peloton. After Movistar's exploits this year at the Vuelta a España, it's exciting for them to have a future GC contender on their books.
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