Could Egan Bernal end up at Movistar Team in 2027? Spanish World Tour team look for a new leader in Colombia
Cycling
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.
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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
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.
Javier RampeCycling Journalist
Javier Rampe is a sports analyst with more than 15 years of experience. He holds a degree in Economics from the University of Rome and a Diploma in Business Studies from the University of Cádiz. Despite coming from an academic background not particularly associated with cycling, his passion for both cycling and journalism was instilled in him from an early age. He grew up following Miguel Indurain and José María “El Chava” Jiménez. An admirer of Michael Robinson’s communication style and journalistic approach, he was inspired to pursue a degree in Journalism at the University of Buenos Aires, which he is currently completing.
He has always maintained close ties with the worlds of sport and culture, contributing from a young age to sports blogs and film and music review websites. His work has appeared in media outlets such as Cope, RAI, and Radio Con Vos. He is also the founder of the cycling-focused podcast El Contraanálisis and the football interview channel Días De Fútbol, dedicated to conversations with professional footballers.
In addition to his work at Ciclismoaldia, Javier has interviewed some of the most influential figures in modern cycling, including Alejandro Valverde and Tadej Pogačar, as well as key voices in anti-doping policy such as Alberto Yelmo, David Varillas, and Marcelo Milano. Marcos Maynar, in relation to the ‘Operación Ílex’ case, is also among the personalities he has interviewed. He enjoys conducting in-depth analysis of the cycling ecosystem and has attended major events such as Strade Bianche, the Vuelta a Andalucía, and Itzulia, as well as numerous national cyclo-cross races.
His background in economics, combined with extensive experience in marketing and corporate communications, drives his continuous study of positioning strategies and ensures that he always keeps his focus on crafting compelling and evocative headlines.
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- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
- I'm picking .... .... Never mind 🫥flyer07-11-2026
- If Tiberi has a better and more consistent 2027 I somehow doubt it will be because of this victorious warning. Unless his preparation has been off, cycling isn't football.flyer07-11-2026
- Love this guy. He is such a pure racer.mij07-11-2026
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