UAE set to lose one of its classics specialist and domestique to... Movistar
CyclingSaturday, 29 August 2026 at 15:05
Rune Herregodts might become one of Movistar Team’s next additions on the cycling market for 2027. After several years with UAE Team Emirates - XRG, the Belgian national champion could become his compatriot's right-hand man.
According to HLN, the current Belgian road champion has reached an agreement with the Spanish squad for the next three seasons, although the signing still awaits official confirmation. Uijtdebroeks was present at the ongoing Vuelta a España, but withdrew after suffering an ankle fracture.
The move would bring in an experienced rider, able to contribute in the Classics, on long days, and against the clock.
Herregodts, 28, would thus switch scenery after two seasons at UAE Team Emirates-XRG. The Belgian joined the Emirati setup in 2025 from Intermarché-Wanty and has since taken on a role largely focused on supporting teammates. He was previously rumoured to be joining Lotto - Intermarché once again, but the Spanish team looks to have gotten ahead.
The big breakthrough for Herregodts came this summer at the Belgian Championships. The UAE rider claimed the national title in Brasschaat in a race initially billed for sprinters, but which unfolded in far more selective fashion.
Herregodts read the race better than anyone and prevailed from a group of three, ahead of Jonas Rickaert and Fabio Van den Bossche. The win earned him the tricolour jersey and, at the same time, strengthened his hand in a market where he already had experience and results.
He is not, in any case, a rider who has appeared out of nowhere this season. Herregodts had already built much of his trajectory around a clear profile: power, consistency, and the ability to handle fast, demanding races.
In 2024 he won the overall at the ZLM Tour, along with a stage at the same race. His palmarès also includes the 2021 Ronde van Drenthe, a stage at the 2022 Ruta del Sol, and another at the Sazka Tour.
A different kind of rider for Movistar Team
His imminent signing fits one of the Spanish team’s needs: greater presence in one-day races and more riders able to take responsibility when the race splits.
Herregodts is neither a pure sprinter nor a specialist for the Monuments, but he offers a particularly useful blend. He is a powerful rouleur, strong over long distances, effective in time trials, and fast enough to finish from reduced groups.
That versatility could make him a key piece in the roster. His profile gives him a role in Classics, Belgian races, rolling courses, or windy, wearing days that whittle down the bunch.
He can also contribute in a collective role. His experience at UAE has accustomed him to working for marquee leaders and taking on responsibility within a World Tour structure, something Movistar could use both in week-long races and Grand Tours.
Three years to change scenery
The agreement, according to available information, is for three seasons. If confirmed, Herregodts will join a Movistar shaping its 2027 roster with a blend of young riders and others seasoned at the highest level.
The Belgian’s arrival will deliver precisely the latter. At 28, he will land at the team after spells with Intermarché-Wanty and UAE Team Emirates-XRG, bringing WorldTour experience across varied race types.
Moreover, the Belgian champion’s jersey will grant him special visibility during his first season with the Spanish squad. His win in Brasschaat showed he can seize opportunities when given the freedom to play his own cards.
That is, in fact, one of the attractions of his move to Movistar. After two years within one of the peloton’s strongest structures, the Belgian could find a different setting, with room to take on new responsibilities and chase individual results.
A long-term signing for Movistar
Movistar still has to make the move official, but on paper Herregodts fits a profile that could prove valuable to the roster. He would not arrive to assume outright team leadership, but as a piece capable of adding across varied scenarios.
His power can be used to harden races, his experience to work for leaders, and his speed to profit from reduced finales. All this after achieving the most important result of his recent career this year: becoming Belgian champion.
If his arrival is finally confirmed, Rune Herregodts will swap the tricolour for Movistar Team blue in 2027, in a move that would notably reinforce the Spanish team’s Classics and rouleur unit.
Jorge BorregueroWriter
Jorge Borreguero is a journalist with a degree from the Complutense University of Madrid and has been a writer for Cyclinguptodate and Ciclismoaldia since early 2023. In this role, he has played a key part in the evolution of the website, particularly as a specialist covering Movistar Team. He regularly writes race reports, analytical pieces, and in-depth features about the team, and has conducted exclusive interviews and attended multiple team presentations, providing readers with firsthand insights into one of the leading professional cycling squads.
Throughout his career, Jorge has maintained a strong focus on sports journalism, gaining experience across a variety of disciplines, including basketball and football. However, his current work is almost entirely dedicated to cycling, contributing extensively to Ciclismoaldia and its sister website Cyclinguptodate. For these platforms, he combines thorough research with detailed reporting to deliver high-quality content, ranging from race previews and results to expert analysis of teams and riders.
Jorge’s reporting is marked by accuracy, depth, and a commitment to providing readers with reliable and authoritative information. His direct engagement with teams, athletes, and events ensures that his coverage reflects firsthand knowledge and professional insight. Through his work, he has established himself as a trusted voice in professional cycling journalism, bridging the gap between the sport and its global audience while maintaining rigorous editorial standards.
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