Mateo Ramírez Joins Movistar Team Beginning in 2027 Through 2029

Ecuadorian climbing talent Mateo Ramírez will join the Movistar Team beginning in 2027, the Spanish WorldTour squad confirmed on October 7, 2026. The 20-year-old cyclist has signed a contract that will keep him with the organization through the 2029 season, marking his formal transition into the top tier of professional road racing.

A Path to the WorldTour

Ramírez joins the Movistar Team after a standout tenure with the UAE Team Emirates Gen Z development squad, which he joined in mid-2025. According to reports from El Comercio, his move to the professional WorldTour level follows a string of high-level performances in the under-23 category. Born in Quito on March 9, 2006, the 1.70-meter, 55-kilogram rider has established himself as a specialist in the mountains.

His 2026 season served as a breakout year, despite an early setback caused by a wrist fracture. Upon his return to competition in June, Ramírez secured second place in the general classification at the Giro d’Italia Next Gen, an achievement highlighted by the Movistar Team in their official announcement, as noted by Primicias.

Development and Tactical Goals

The transition to the Spanish team places Ramírez alongside compatriot Jefferson Cepeda, who has been with the Movistar roster since 2025 and is currently under contract through 2028. Sebastián Unzué, the team’s sports director, praised the signing, describing Ramírez as a rider with significant talent and room for continued growth. “Our goal is to accompany him in each step of his development so that he reaches the highest level in the coming years,” Unzué said, as reported by Mundo Deportivo.

For his part, Ramírez expressed enthusiasm about joining a team with deep historical roots in the sport. “I am very happy and excited to start my career in the World Tour with Movistar,” he stated. “It is a team that has an enormous history in cycling and I think it fits very well with me, where I feel I will be able to continue growing, developing as a rider, and gaining experience.”

Rising Through the Junior and U23 Ranks

Ramírez’s trajectory has been marked by rapid progression across multiple disciplines. Before focusing on road racing, the Quito native competed in swimming and mountain biking. His early achievements include winning the Ecuadorian national junior road and time trial championships in 2023, followed by a successful defense of his national road title in 2024. El Comercio noted that he also secured the time trial victory at the 2024 Juegos Bolivarianos de la Juventud.

By 2025, while still in the under-23 category, he began testing himself against elite professionals. During that year’s Ecuadorian national championships, he finished third in the road race, trailing only professionals Jhonatan Narváez and Jefferson Cepeda. His international experience includes stints with the High Level-Gsport-Grupo Tormo and the Team Junior Ciudad de Talavera, where he began racing in Spain at age 16.

Current Career Milestones

The following table outlines the key general classification results that defined Ramírez’s rise during the 2025 and 2026 seasons:

Ramírez’s professional tenure with the Movistar Team is scheduled to officially commence with the start of the 2027 racing season.