Boost for INEOS as key climber reportedly commits future - Carlos Rodríguez firmly shuts the door to potential exit
Cycling
Carlos Rodríguez has secured his future in the peloton for the coming seasons. The Almuñécar rider has extended his contract with Netcompany INEOS through 2029, according to MARCA, after renewing a deal months ago that was initially due to expire in 2027.
The extension rules out any move to Movistar Team in the short or medium term, following Javier Romo’s departure for the British team. At 25, the Spanish rider can now approach the next challenges of his career knowing he will remain with the British squad, where he has spent his entire professional career.
The extension is another sign of confidence in one of Spain’s leading talents for stage races. Rodríguez joined the team in 2020 from the junior ranks of Polartec-Kometa, moving straight from the junior category to the top level. Since then, he has claimed major victories and results that have established him among the Spanish riders with the greatest potential to contend for Grand Tour general classifications.
His continued presence also forms part of a project set to feature an increasingly strong Spanish contingent. Next season, Rodríguez will be part of the same structure as Beloki, Óscar Rodríguez, Javi Romo and Benjamín Noval. His contract extension through 2029 ensures he will remain part of that medium-term plan.
Carlos Rodriguez's standout moment
Carlos Rodríguez’s standout moment came at the 2023 Tour de France. The Andalusian won a stage in Morzine ahead of Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard, and finished fifth overall. That result confirmed his ability to compete at the highest level over three weeks and strengthened expectations that he could become one of the leading figures in the future of Spanish cycling.
He continued to progress in 2024, winning the overall title at the Tour de Romandie and finishing second at the Itzulia, where he also claimed a stage victory. He added another win at the Critérium du Dauphiné, cementing his reputation as a rider capable of performing in the mountains and in one-week stage races.
His palmarès also includes the 2022 Spanish National Championship, a stage win at that year’s Itzulia and another at the 2023 Tour of Britain. Those results explain INEOS’s decision to keep him on its roster and give him time to return to the forefront of the international calendar.
However, his 2026 campaign has been far less impressive. Second place at the Tour de la Provence was his best result in a general classification, while he finished fourth at the Tour of Austria and 12th at the Tour de Romandie. He also struggled to challenge for the positions he had reached in his strongest seasons at the top-level races.
Rodríguez finished 23rd at Paris-Nice, 26th at the Volta a Catalunya and 20th at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. He also placed 36th at the Vuelta a España, well away from the fight for the overall title. The results make next season an important opportunity to regain consistency and rediscover the form that brought him stage wins and top finishes in major races.
Carlos Rodríguez at the 2026 Vuelta
A contract through 2029 as he continues to develop in a Spanish-led INEOS team
The extension gives him continuity in an environment he has known since turning professional. Rodríguez will turn 26 in 2027 and has three more seasons with the British team, giving him valuable time to work on his return to form and target ambitious goals again.
The team will also have a stronger Spanish presence. Carlos Rodríguez will be joined by Beloki, Óscar Rodríguez and Javi Romo, as well as Benja Noval, whose contract extension will be formalised soon. The group of Spanish riders adds another dimension to a project in which the Granada-born rider remains one of the key long-term prospects.
Rodríguez’s challenge will be to turn that stability into results. His victories and fifth place at the 2023 Tour de France showed he can compete with the best, but the 2026 season has left him with the task of rediscovering that form. With a contract through 2029, he has time to do so without his immediate future hinging on a single campaign.
INEOS has reaffirmed its faith in a rider who knows the structure inside out and still has room to develop. Next season will mark the start of a new chapter for Rodríguez, as he looks to regain prominence and make the most of the stability offered by a contract that runs through 2029.
Jorge BorregueroWriter
Jorge Borreguero is a journalist with a degree from the Complutense University of Madrid and has been a writer for Cyclinguptodate and Ciclismoaldia since early 2023. In this role, he has played a key part in the evolution of the website, particularly as a specialist covering Movistar Team. He regularly writes race reports, analytical pieces, and in-depth features about the team, and has conducted exclusive interviews and attended multiple team presentations, providing readers with firsthand insights into one of the leading professional cycling squads.
Throughout his career, Jorge has maintained a strong focus on sports journalism, gaining experience across a variety of disciplines, including basketball and football. However, his current work is almost entirely dedicated to cycling, contributing extensively to Ciclismoaldia and its sister website Cyclinguptodate. For these platforms, he combines thorough research with detailed reporting to deliver high-quality content, ranging from race previews and results to expert analysis of teams and riders.
Jorge’s reporting is marked by accuracy, depth, and a commitment to providing readers with reliable and authoritative information. His direct engagement with teams, athletes, and events ensures that his coverage reflects firsthand knowledge and professional insight. Through his work, he has established himself as a trusted voice in professional cycling journalism, bridging the gap between the sport and its global audience while maintaining rigorous editorial standards.
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- I had no idea about that either.
santiagobenites10-11-2026 - great analysis thanks! appreciate you posting this. I didn't realize CX had a different standard for deviation. this is even more egregious it seems.mij10-11-2026
- As he isn't currently with Red Bull, I guess if he want to race for one more year he needs to find a team. He's 37 so this will be his last year I would guess, unless he wants to race for almost nothing like Froome did.awp10-11-2026
- I think some are making much ado about nothing. Even though Jonas is getting older, before his crash in the Tour, he looked like a solid 2nd all the way home. No one can really climb with Tadej until this year, Eric Mas showed himself which I think was a one off year for him and Paul Seixas has been able to be pretty close to him. Whatever stage race Jonas enters as long as Tadej is not there he is a favorite to win.awp10-11-2026
- Giro or not Giro, he won't win the Tour!MajorPayne10-11-2026
- Very true.awp10-11-2026
- Ciccone had a very strong end of season. Consistently attacking and livening up races. Hope he makes that last leap in progress and starts notching some significant wins. Great rider to watch.Occam10-11-2026
- Me too!!!!!Occam10-11-2026
- they can sign any 100 of top riders today but Pogi will win over Remco any time at the TDF unless something goes wrongabstractengineer10-11-2026
- the time for a GC rider to retire is when they cannot win stages, or have a significant level drop like from winner/podium into top 5/10 consistently. Roglic is still competitive and Froome raced even though he became pack fodder.abstractengineer10-11-2026
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