Imanol Erviti's banishment in 2023: Out of Movistar Team's squad for the 3 grand tours for the first time in 16 years
Cycling
Movistar Team has released the list of eight riders who will take on the challenge of the Vuelta a España and there is one absence that is strange because of his omnipresence in previous years: that of general captain Imanol Erviti.
The Navarrese, a cyclist with enormous experience in the world of three-week races, has been a constant presence in the Grand Tours since his debut with Movistar in 2006. His record speaks for itself: 14 participations in the Vuelta a España, 13 in the Tour de France and one in the Giro d'Italia. However, this 2023 has marked an unusual turn in his career.
For the first time since his arrival at Movistar, Imanol Erviti has not taken part in any of the three Grand Tours. It is also noteworthy that on eleven occasions, Erviti has faced the double challenge of the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España in the same season.
The fact that Erviti is not part of the 2023 Vuelta a España lineup is particularly surprising, as the cyclist has been a stalwart in the Spanish squad for more than a decade. His experience and ability to work as part of a team have made him a valuable support for the team leaders on different stages and terrains.
Also noteworthy is the fact that on eleven occasions, Erviti has faced the double challenge of the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España in the same season. This feat is testimony to his tenacity and endurance, qualities that have made him a reference for his teammates and a respected competitor in the international peloton.
This year Erviti started the season early in southern lands competing in the Schwalbe Classic and the Santos Tour Down Under. He then moved on to the Middle East to compete in the Muscat Classic and the Tour of Oman. He then rode the Omloop and Kuurne before taking part in Paris-Nice and Boucles de la Mayenne. Before the Tour he raced the CIC Mont Ventoux, the Route d'Occitania and the Nationals and then the Tour of Poland and the Tour of Limousin. Will we see him in 2024 on the Movistar Team coaching staff? It looks like it...
Juan LarraCycling Journalist
Juan Larra is a writer for Cyclinguptodate and editor-in-chief of Ciclismoaldia, where he has played a central role since its inception. Under his leadership, the website has become a trusted source for professional cycling coverage, offering in-depth analysis, news, and feature stories.
A sports journalist with over 20 years of experience, Juan earned his degree in Journalism from the University of Seville in 2007. He began his career covering a wide range of sports—including football, basketball, Formula 1, MotoGP, tennis, and cycling—for platforms such as the official La Liga app, Vodafone and Movistar websites, NBA Blogdebasket, and Cadena Cope, honing his skills in writing and editorial management.
In addition to his work at Ciclismoaldia, Juan contributes to Cyclinguptodate and serves as editor-in-chief for the tennis-focused site Tenisaldia. Throughout his career, he has conducted exclusive interviews with cyclists and sports figures, provided detailed analysis of competitions ranging from local Spanish races to major international events, and acted as a special correspondent at prestigious races including Paris-Roubaix, the Tour de France, and the Vuelta a España.
Juan’s combination of experience, expertise, and direct access to athletes has established him—and the platforms he leads—as authoritative voices in professional cycling.
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- He should have been allowed to go to Movistar. Right now both arent a good fit for each other and are just wasting each other's time and effortabstractengineer08-11-2026
- Thibau Nys does exactly what Iserbyt is calling for
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - i did not see it. was the relegation justified or an overly hard decision? and don‘t cross riders deviate from straight lines all the time? bumping into each others when they cut corners, etc … why being more strict with the rules on the finish sprint?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- seems like we are advertising the website with pointless comments…Ketterechts08-11-2026
- So?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- The UCI do have their favorites.
Front24208-11-2026 - On a positive note, you maybe notice turning this topic into a discussion has the benefit of eliminating certain participants who do not see how they can turn it back to their sole interest ;-)Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- People see what they want to. I am actually the opposite of your accusation, probably more of a rebel than most of you who don’t get the big picture. The difference is, I don’t go moaning publicly about the consequences of my transgressions, I understand the need for rules and I take my OWN responsibility when deciding to ignore or break them or doing so involuntarily. I will also not hesitate to state my case or argue vehemently when relevant, sometimes it works, sometimes it makes things worse but that’s the price to pay for principles and having character.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- That may be but that was unknown to others and nothing says that’s the whole truth. Again, don’t try to misinterpret, it is a call and technically it is correct. Besides, even if there is a valid reason, that does not disqualify the ruling or punishment as far as the rules have been developed. I don’t think they’re as far as in football where for handball there is a distinction (in some ways and specific cases) between intentional or not. And football can be just as harsh and people live with it, eg the offside rule, also judged to within tiny fractions but often wrong or ignored. It’s the nature of every collective organisation and sometimes I wonder if our rebellion against it isn’t seated in the feelings we carry from the injustices we’ve felt personally, like being flashed driving 1km/h too fast when we are explained limits are just a security measure but we are absolutely certain not to have endangered anyone with our transgression. The problem is, nobody has better solutions and no 2 people have the same interpretation of where a limit should be.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- Because for you deviated implies the other rider MUST have been made to fall and fail to finish ??? I don’t know if you ride a bike but next time someone carves you up or drives dangerously close, just hold back from those feelings of changing something, reporting or filming or even complaining. Everyone will just say, hey you’re still here undamaged, doesn’t seem like anyone did anything.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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👨🏻🏫 Una fuga cargada de simbolismo para Movistar Team este viernes en la jornada final del @tourdulimousin. @ImanolErviti, nuestro estandarte, rueda en cabeza de carrera en esta 4ª etapa. De navarro a navarro, tras el carrerón de Óscar ayer. Vamos, Ima 💪🏼 📸 @GettySport
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