Nairo Quintana renews until 2019 as Movistar extends sponsorship deal

Nairo Quintana and Movistar will continue their partnership until at least 2019 after both rider and sponsor signed extensions with the Spanish team.

Quintana, fresh from winning the Vuelta a España, and teammate Alejandro Valverde appeared at a press conference on Monday morning to announce they had both agreed new deals, with the Spaniard's due to be signed in the coming days.

Title sponsor Movistar, part of the Spanish telecommunication giants Telefonica, also renewed its partnership with Abarca Sports to ensure the team continues to wear the big green M on their jersey for the next three seasons.

“We’ve got the best team in the world at the moment,” said Telefonica's Carlos López Blanco. “The sporting results can hardly be better; our brand exposure and positioning are excellent all over the world, especially in Spain and Latin America, essential markets for Telefónica; and above everything else, this team represents bond and friendliness like no other.

Adding: "Enjoying results like this Vuelta win by Nairo Quintana is sensational. We’ve got tremendous confidence on the future of the team and our collaboration with them.”

Since joining as title sponsors in 2011, Telefonica has seen the Movistar team win three consecutive UCI WorldTour titles between 2013 and 2015. The Spanish squad are on course to win their fourth, leading the 2016 WorldTour with three events remaining.

Quintana has now won two Grand Tours, taking the Giro d'Italia title in 2014 and the Vuelta crown this year. He also has three podium finishes at the Tour de France, finishing runner up to Chris Froome in both 2013 and 2015.

Valverde, meanwhile, has nine top-10 finishes in Grand Tours since Movistar started sponsorship as well as winning five major one-day Classics since 2011.