Rémi Cavagna explodes against Movistar: "I came to the team to progress and I feel like I've taken a step backwards"
Cycling
It's a little scary to think how in modern cycling changing equipment can change a rider's performance so much. How 2 or 3 months of nutrition or gear change can lead to an extreme performance change. That seems to be what's happening with Rémi Cavagna, who does not seem so happy with his transfer from Soudal - Quick-Step to Movistar Team.
If we look at Matteo Jorgenson, for example, in 2023 he was a great cyclist who could win stages. Just a few months later, at the start of 2024 with Visma, he was no longer a great cyclist, he was one of the best stage-racers in the world who won Paris-Nice back in March and came incredibly close to winning the Criterium du Dauphiné just a few weeks ago.
Cavagna himself signed a three-year deal with the Spanish team last winter but has thus far not been able to perform among the best, neither in the road stages or time-trials.
"I came to the team to progress and I feel like I've taken a step backwards in a few months," Cavagna said in words to L'Équipe. "I'm not even good enough to finish in the top 50 in the Tour of Belgium (he refers to the GC, and not time-trial where he was 16th, ed.). That's not my place; that's not what I'm worth. But that doesn't seem to bother anyone, apart from myself."
He then hinted at his real complaint: he's going to sit out the Tour de France: "It was something I didn't like at Quick Step: they changed my program and I couldn't concentrate on specific objectives. And here we're going the same way. Of course, I'm a bit disappointed because I imagined something different. You can't change a rider's schedule after a month; for that, it's better not to sign him".
Cavagna was fourth at the recent time-trial nationals, a better sign than his spring, but it's unlikely to be enough to secure him a position at the Tour de France where he was initially planned to ride: "I don't know if I'm going to ride the Tour. I took it for granted, but I haven't received any news lately."
"I reconned the time trials and they are very cool; there are also other very nice stages... And I know that a victory in the Tour de France can change a sporting life. I haven't been at a glorious level this season, but I think I'm improving. Riding as a free rider, one stage would be enough for me to turn my season. If I don't go to the Tour, it will be a blow."
The language barrier has also become an obstacle much harder than what he could've imagined: I’ve progressed in Spanish, I’ve taken some courses, I invested in that and I understand almost everything. But when I want to express myself a bit, I’ve found myself on the limit, and it’s a bit rubbish when I try to integrate myself."
"The Spanish form a bit of a block in the team, everything’s in Spanish on the race radio, and that’s complicated in the important moments of the race. Right now, I’m not giving them anything and they’re not giving me anything. It’s complicated.”
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- 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
- 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
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