Davide Formolo commits to Enric Mas after signing contract with Movistar

After months of speculation and following GCN earlier this summer, Movistar has announced that Davide Formolo has agreed a two-year deal with the Spanish team.

Formolo, 30, has spent the last five years at UAE Team Emirates, where he was regarded as a fine domestique and one-day rider. The Italian will race alongside Enric Mas next season, and likely support the Spaniard at the Tour de France.

“I think that a team like Movistar is the ideal place for the type of rider I am, Formolo said in a statement released by his future team. "I think I can play an important role in supporting the team leaders in the Grand Tours, and at the same time, look for results in one-day tests or wherever the team is needed. Looking forward to starting to work with everyone."

Formolo won the recent Veneto Classic as well as the Coppa Agostoni. Once tipped as a potential Grand Tour leader after three back-to-back top-ten rides in three-week races, the former Bora-Hansgrohe rider has developed into a dependable climbing domestique with a pedigree in one-day races that also includes second in both Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Strade Bianche.

Read more:

• Coppa Agostoni: Davide Formolo solos home in 1-2 for UAE Team Emirates
• Veneto Classic: Davide Formolo and Marc Hirschi go 1-2 for UAE Team Emirates

The Italian is not the only signing announced by Movistar in the last twenty-four hours with the Spanish WorldTour team providing almost hour-by-hour coverage of their 2024 recruits.

Carlos Canal (Euskaltel Euskadi), Manlio Moro (Zaf Euromobil Fior), Javier Romo (Astana), and Pelayo Sanchez (Burgos-BH) have all been announced in a short space of time, with Rémi Cavagna expected to be confirmed as a Movistar rider imminently.

Movistar come up short in hunt for a fresh GC contender

Movistar had been on the hunt for a Grand Tour leader in the transfer market this year and they looked set to recruit Carlos Rodríguez from Ineos Grenadiers after the rider agreed a letter of intent with the Spanish team.

Ineos Grenadiers eventually persuaded the rider to extend his contract with them, while Movistar also missed out on Primož Roglič after the Giro d’Italia winner switched from Jumbo-Visma to Bora-Hangrohe.

Read more: Carlos Rodríguez agrees four-year deal at Ineos Grenadiers

The Movistar management has since concentrated on contract extensions for various riders, although Matteo Jorgenson will move to Jumbo-Visma next year. Gorka Izagirre is heading to Cofidis, while Max Kanter has signed a contract with Astana.