All the roads of Iván García Cortina led to Movistar. Many factors were put together so that the courtship took shape in the form of a signing. The main one, that the 24-year-old cyclist from Gijón is one of the main certainties that Spanish cycling has for the immediate future. But the rupture of the telephone squad with the agent Giuseppe Acquadro, who controls a good part of the best Spanish and Colombian runners, main references of the Eusebio Unzué squad in recent times, after the escape of Richard Carapaz and Andrey Amador to the Ineos. As Spaniards, he was almost Cortina or nobody, at least of the first level.

Everything fitted perfectly and at the same time the signing of the Asturian, until now in the Bahrein-McLaren of Mikel Landa and Pello Bilbao, for the next three seasons is somewhat strange. Because the Movistar broadens its traditional horizons with this movement, it leaves its comfort zone. The focus of the Spanish team has traditionally been set on stage laps and, with Alejandro Valverde, on the Ardennes classics. Cortina does not respond to either of those two profiles, but is a specialist in the classic cobblestones and an interesting asset in the 'sprints' in which there has been a previous selection.

His only victory this season, in fact, came in a 'volata' in Paris-Nice, in which he managed to beat specialists such as Sagan, Nizzolo, Pasqualon or Bouhanni. Two days later, he was second after another of them, Bonifazio. His other professional triumph came last year at the now-defunct Vuelta a California, again the fastest in a group of 26 runners.

"It is the home team and we pursue a common dream. I have always had a personal commitment, which is at the same time one of the few great races that this team has left to win, which is the Paris-Roubaix," he explained. , ambitious, Cortina in statements released by Movistar himself, whose current leaders (Valverde, Soler and Mas) also have a contract in force in 2021.

"Despite being still young, Iván already has the experience of a veteran. He is a runner who is going to give us the opportunity to turn many sprint finishes into victory options and, above all, he will allow us to go to the greats classic pavés with real possibilities of fighting for them. Iván must be one of the great favorites in the future in these tests, "explained Unzué, after what is his first signing for next season.

This Monday, beyond the signing of Cortina, has been a very busy day in the international market. The Sunweb, in need of a reference on the mountain, has announced the hiring of Romain Bardet, who closes a nine-year stint at Ag2r. Greg Van Avermaet, hitherto leader of a disintegrating CCC and who also loses Patrick Bevin, arrives at the French squad, bound for an Israel that is being conscientiously reinforced (the additions of Carl Fredrik Hagen and Daryl Impey are already confirmed) to wrap up the next season for its star signing: Chris Froome.

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