Cuban cycling star Arlenis Sierra signed a two-year contract (2022-2023) with Movistar, one of the most prestigious clubs in cycling and where the phenomenal Annemiek Van Vleuten rides.

Havana, October 9 (RHC/JIT)-- Cuban cycling star Arlenis Sierra signed a two-year contract (2022-2023) with Movistar, one of the most prestigious clubs in cycling and where the phenomenal Annemiek Van Vleuten rides.

Movistar, from Spain, is one of the nine clubs with the highest category of the elite UCI Women's World Team. 

"As in previous years I again had several proposals from different teams, but the one that most interested me was Movistar because it gives me many possibilities to continue developing myself," the 28-year-old Cuban said in statements to the digital newspaper Jit.

"It's a pretty big step for me. I was already used to A. R. Monex -formerly Astana-, to which I thank the world and especially the coach Aldo Picolo, who brought me from Cuba to know the races in Europe and gave me the option to experience the level in this continent", she added.

"I also want to thank the team management, but in life sometimes you have to take steps to progress or see how it works," she commented.

"At Movistar I will be able to race, but I recognize that I'm going to work, as there is Tokyo 2020 Olympic runner-up Annemiek van Vleutun and Enma Norsgaard, an outstanding sprinter. I will have to work for them in several competitions. I have no problems. Since I came to Europe I learned to race for teams, to do it for others. Maybe they will also do it for me when the time comes," she said.

"However, I want to try this new experience, take advantage of this contract for two years and we'll see what happens... I hope the results will be much better and I can advance a little more in my sporting level," she said.

In addition to the extra-class rider from the Netherlands, leader of the world road ranking, and the young Danish rider, the renowned Pamplona-based squad also includes American Leah Thomas, French rider Aude Biannic and Spaniard Sheyla Gutiérrez, among others.

Arlenis Sierra had a brilliant 2021 season, in which she reached eight podiums at the highest level and achieved a historic fifth place for Cuba in the recent world road race in Flanders, Belgium.

In the Tokyo Olympic Games she finished 34th.