Enric Mas extends with Movistar through 2025

Enric Mas will remain with Movistar through 2025.

The Spanish grand tour rider confirmed he will stay with Spain’s lone WorldTour team for three more seasons.

“It was an easy decision to make,” Mas said Monday. “I already had it clear in my mind that I wanted to stay with Movistar. The biggest reason to stay here is the great group we have here at the team, from the staff to the riders, who give everything for me.”

The extension comes as Alejandro Valverde will retire at the end of 2022, leaving Mas with even more responsibility. Efforts to sign Richard Carapaz look stalled as VeloNews reported this month he’s been linked to a move to join EF Education-EasyPost.

The 27-year-old Mas will lead the Spanish “blues” at the 2022 Tour de France in his fourth career start, where he is making a push for the final podium.

Fifth in 2020 and sixth last year, Mas will count on the help of such riders as Carlos Verona and Imanol Erviti, with American Matteo Jorgenson expected to start his first Tour. Valverde, who raced the Giro d’Italia, is not racing the Tour in favor of a final farewell at the Vuelta a España.

Movistar’s final Tour selection will be confirmed in the coming days.

“It’s been a few complicated months at the start of the 2022 season,” said Mas, who crashed out of the Critérium du Dauphiné. “I’ve had various incidents that have kept me from being my best, but that’s cycling and that’s life. You have to take on things as they come.

“I take on this Tour with big ambitions and for the next three years to fight to reach the podium at the Tour, Giro and Vuelta, and why not, try to win one of the three grand tours.”

✍️Ⓜ️ – 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣

A pocos días del #TDF2022, os confirmamos que @EnricMasNicolau seguirá ligado a Movistar Team los tres próximos años > https://t.co/x1vwFjT2m7#RodamosJuntos 👊 pic.twitter.com/TnOAHHxwDn

— Movistar Team (@Movistar_Team) June 27, 2022