Andrey Amador and Movistar terminate contract amid battle to join Ineos
The Costa Rican was spotted riding in Ineos kit while training in December


Andrey Amador and Movistar have agreed to terminate his contract as the rider has been fighting to leave his team for Ineos.
Amador was spotted wearing Team Ineos kit during a training rider in December as he has been trying to free himself from a pre-contract agreement that tied him to Movistar until 2021.
The Spanish WorldTour team announced on Tuesday (February 11) that Amador’s contract had been terminated and that he was now free to leave the team.
A statement from the team said: “Movistar announces on Tuesday it has reached an agreement with Andrey Amador for the termination of the contract between both parties.
“We wish Andrey all the best in his future endeavours, after 11 successful years together. Thank you."
News emerged in September that 33-year-old Amador wanted to cancel his renewed deal with Movistar after signing an agreement at the end of the Tour de France.
Amador was thought to be following his old team-mate Richard Carapaz to British WorldTour squad Ineos, but Movistar resisted his attempts to leave.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
The case ended up in front of the UCI arbitration board over Christmas, but is now believed to be resolved after the announcement by Movistar.
Amador started his WorldTour career with Movistar, then Caisse d’Epargne, back in 2010 and has been with the squad since.
In 2012 he won a stage of the Giro d’Italia and went on to finish fourth overall in the Italian Grand Tour in 2015.
>>> Egan Bernal says Primož Roglič will be strongest in the Tour de France
Amador hasn’t raced since the World Championships in Yorkshire on September 2019 because of the dispute, while Ineos have not yet confirmed his signing.
But he was spotted by a fan riding a Pinarello bike and wearing a Team Ineos kit while training near his home in La Garriga, Spain last December.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers. Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.
-
Will the sprinters make it to the Champs-Élysées? Tour de France 2025 final stage places Montmartre climb 6km from the finish
ASO confirms punchy race finale with three ascents of the Butte Montmartre
-
Cat Ferguson to make Tour of Britain Women debut next month
Double junior world champion expected to lead Movistar on home roads at four-day race
-
Cat Ferguson to make Tour of Britain Women debut next month
Double junior world champion expected to lead Movistar on home roads at four-day race
-
Entire Movistar team fined after start ramp chaos at Vuelta Femenina
Visma-Lease a Bike file official complaint with the UCI following team time trial delays
-
'I only found out I was coming to this race yesterday' - Sam Watson claims first WorldTour win in 3.4km Tour de Romandie prologue
Brit wins by just three tenths of a second to take leader's jersey
-
'It can really push me along' - How a velodrome comeback is making Caleb Ewan faster on the road
Australian says he'll "definitely" continue track work after rekindling passion
-
Could Caleb Ewan be Ineos Grenadiers' first Tour de France sprinter since Mark Cavendish? 'That's my goal'
"All I can do is try to win as much as possible and prove that I deserve to be there," says Australian
-
'An unprecedented opportunity for brands to be part of the evolution' - Ineos Grenadiers sponsor hunt steps up with sales agency partnership
Sportfive have been employed to find "non-endemic global partners for the team"
-
'We've all got a little bit extra in us this year' - Ineos Grenadiers recapture 'fighting spirit' with aggressive Paris-Nice display
British team continue to put tumultuous 2024 behind them with momentum and a new found mentality
-
Could a TotalEnergies deal be the end of Ineos Grenadiers as we know them?
Reports suggested this week that Ineos could be close to signing a deal with the French petrochemical firm