Movistar Team secures UCI World Tour status

The 2024 cycling season has ended with a Movistar Team that can breathe very easy with respect to the UCI WorldTour classification. Remember, every 3 years the 3 worst teams are relegated and with respect to the three-year period 2023-25, Movistar have practically ensured their safety.

The team was very strong in the three grand tours, with many points obtained in the stages in Giro and Tour through the likes of Fernando Gaviria, Nairo Quintana, Pelayo Sánchez or Alex Aranburu. Movistar also did well in the GC at the Giro and Vuelta, with seventh place for Einer Rubio in the Giro and third place for Enric Mas in Spain, where he was very strong.

Eusebio Unzué's team have finished the year with 21,869 points (data from @ADescenso). They are located in an unattractive 13th place, which perhaps by budget is more or less the one that corresponds to them. Behind them, Israel is very close and in front of them, a little further away, EF Education EasyPost, which could become their main rival for next season. Far away is Arkéa, the team that marks the relegation, at almost 6,000 points, so we can say that the permanence is practically assured barring a major disaster in 2025.

Possible objectives for next season

Movistar could set as a goal for the next season to try to reach the top 10 of the general classification, which they are not close to and which is currently occupied by Bahrain Victorious (almost 3500 points away). Movistar has also finished this year as the 13th best team with 10,879 points, just over 1,000 points behind Bahrain Victorious. It will not be easy to improve too many places and be careful not to lose them because Israel, Jayco and Intermarché are close behind.

A world away are the best overall teams, with UAE Team Emirates in first with 68,371 points, a lot more than the second, Visma - Lease a Bike, which exceeds 50,000 but has been jumped significantly by Tadej Pogacar’s team this season.