Could Egan Bernal end up at Movistar Team in 2027? Spanish World Tour team look for a new leader in Colombia

Cycling
Monday, 06 July 2026 at 13:48
Egan Bernal on stage 1 of the 2026 Tour de France
Egan Bernal’s future is once again at the heart of the pro cycling transfer market. The Colombian, winner of the 2021 Giro d’Italia and the 2019 Tour de France, is firmly back at the top level after the serious crash he suffered at the start of 2022. He has just completed the Giro d’Italia this 2026, playing a key domestique role for Netcompany INEOS.
Mid-season, rumours about potential market moves are gathering pace. Following Nairo Quintana’s retirement, Bernal’s name has also begun to surface among possible operations for next year.
It’s no secret that Movistar Team keeps a close eye on Colombian rider, nor is it new that they have shown interest more than once in the rider from Zipaquirá. The squad led by Eusebio Unzué would welcome a rider with Bernal’s palmarès and experience, convinced he still has room to regain the level that took him to the top of the two most prestigious Grand Tours on the calendar.
If this season he rode all 21 stages in the fight for the Senza Fine, last year he doubled up: Giro and Vuelta, amassing a total of 62 race days across the season. A data point the Spanish outfit values as it seeks a reliable three-week rider again. Seventh overall in 2025 and tenth in 2026 at the Italian Grand Tour.

Contract ends in 2026

In the past, negotiating with the British outfit was no easy task. Netcompany INEOS extended the Colombian’s deal in 2022 through the end of 2026, a clear vote of confidence while he was still deep in recovery. David Brailsford backed maintaining the link with Bernal despite doubts about his return, stressing both his immense talent and his ability to overcome adversity and compete again at the highest level.
Now, with his contract nearing its end, talks with Egan’s camp are smoother. The key for an exit from the island outfit: agree on targets and lead a Grand Tour. That race could be the Giro d’Italia or the Vuelta a España, where he has shown his best since returning. And who knows if tempting him with a bid to join the Hall of Fame of winners of all three Grand Tours might tip the balance for the Colombian.
The Colombian has always publicly thanked the team for its support during the toughest moments of his career, so a change of scenery would only make sense if he felt another sporting project could offer better chances to fight again for Grand Tours.
Egan Bernal at the 2026 Tour de France
Egan Bernal at the -2026 Tour de France 

Renewal cools with Netcompany INEOS

As reported in January by journalist Daniel Benson, Egan Bernal was very close to extending his stay with Netcompany INEOS on a four-year contract. The deal would keep the Colombian in the British structure until 2030, when he turns 33, and could become the last major contract of his career.
Although the signature was not yet fully sealed, negotiations were highly advanced and all indications were that only the official team announcement was missing. However, that public confirmation has still not arrived, a circumstance that keeps the door open, at least in theory, for potential market moves.
While the renewal announcement remains pending, rumours are already linking Bernal to other teams monitoring his situation. The most mentioned include Movistar Team and EF Education-EasyPost, two squads that, according to various reports and market chatter, are following the Colombian’s evolution very closely.
Even so, as of today the strongest option remains staying with the squad that has shaped almost all his professional life, where he intends to keep leading a project that aims to put him back in the fight for the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España until the day he hangs up the bike.

An average above 1,400 UCI points per season

At Movistar Team he would find compatriots such as Einer Rubio, a safe bet both as a domestique and for the Italian race’s general classification, and Diego Pescador, a promising all-rounder with a medium-mountain profile. Both Colombians would welcome Bernal’s arrival.
The 'Escarabajo de Oro' could deliver a jolt on the Navarrese team bus, lacking a spiritual leader since Alejandro Valverde’s retirement. Egan is a lock on charisma and performance.
Bernal is a reliable UCI points engine, even if relegation has not been a real threat in this first year of the triennium. As we write, Movistar Team sit a little over 400 points behind Groupama-FDJ United, the team currently on the WorldTeam cut line. With those numbers, whether as leader or granted freedom in one-week stage races and mountainous one-day events, the Colombian delivers consistently strong returns.
In any case, the next few months promise to be decisive. With the Tour de France underway, teams falling short of sponsor expectations will need a late-season statement through results and targeted signings. Egan Bernal’s future will be one of the most closely watched storylines on the market.
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