Marcos Freire, the son of three-time world champion Oscar Freire, will race for Caja Rural Seguros RGA’s development team next season after his performances at UAE Team Emirates - XRG’s development squad, Gen Z, failed to fully convince.
Marca broke the news that the young Spaniard will ride for Caja Rural-Alea next year. It remains to be seen whether he will get opportunities to race with the first team or spend the entire season with the development squad.
Freire, just 20, leaves UAE after a difficult 2026 campaign in which he failed to take a victory. He was given opportunities with the first team at races including the Volta a Portugal, Circuito de Getxo, Clásica de Ordizia, Tour of Oman, Muscat Classic, Trofeo Palma and Trofeo Calvià.
Best results of his career
Freire’s most notable performances in 2026 came at the Volta a Portugal do Futuro, where he recorded two strong stage finishes. Born on 16 July 2006, he continues to gain experience on the under-23 circuit and pick up results across a range of races.
The Volta a Portugal do Futuro was one of his most encouraging races of the year. The Spaniard finished second on stage three, his best individual result of the season so far. He then secured another top-10 finish on stage four, taking ninth.
He also finished tenth in the points classification and 22nd in the young rider classification, gaining further stage-racing experience.
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Consistency on the international calendar
Beyond Portugal, Freire also finished ninth at the 2026 Gran Premio della Liberazione, adding a one-day top-10 result to his season.
The Spaniard also competed at the Volta ao Alentejo, finishing 29th in the young rider classification in 2026. He had placed 26th in the same classification a year earlier, while his best stage result at the 2025 Istrian Spring Tour was 17th.
Freire continues to build his career in under-23 cycling. His two strong stage finishes at the Volta a Portugal do Futuro and ninth place at the Gran Premio della Liberazione rank among his leading results in a season in which he has continued to seek improvement. His move to Caja Rural will provide the next test.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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