Movistar
Looking for: Even a top-five finish overall would be an overachievement
Insanity is often defined as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result, but that hasn’t deterred Movistar from doing just that at the Tour de France.
In all but one Tour since 2013, they’ve lined up with Nairo Quintana and Alejandro Valverde as co-leaders, and have not managed to win the yellow jersey once in that period. Their prospects may have been promising at first, with both riders finishing on the podium behind Chris Froome in 2015, but it’s been a case of diminishing returns since then, as Quintana became inconsistent and Valverde old.
Mikel Landa was brought in from Team Sky in 2018 to try and freshen things up, but only seemed to make matters worse, and things reached a nadir last year when the three leaders started openly racing against each other.
A much-needed change has happened with Quintana and Landa both leaving, replaced by Enric Mas, who attracted much hype after a surprise second place at the 2018 Vuelta a España. He’ll be joined at the Tour by evergreen Valverde, who still has a punch that belies his advancing years.
STAR: Alejandro Valverde (Spa)
Cycling’s Mr Indestructible, Valverde has survived a doping ban and a fractured kneecap to continue competing at the highest level into his forties. Second place at last year’s Vuelta proves he’s still capable of competing for GC, too.
HITTER: Enric Mas (Spa)
The climber who at the 2018 Vuelta became the youngest Grand Tour podium finisher since Nairo Quintana five years earlier, now becomes the Colombian’s heir at Movistar. Mas impressed for Deceuninckquick Step on his Tour debut last year in support of Julian Alalphilippe, and could this year mount a GC challenge.