The popularity of cycling in Eritrea is ever-growing and with a rider like Biniam Girmay boosting it, all other pro riders from the African nation benefit from it. Natnael Tesfatsion has made it on his own to the World Tour with Lidl-Trek and now he continues his career with a surprising transfer to Movistar Team.

A two-time winner of the Tour du Rwanda, Tesfatsion is expected to be one of the most popular rider during next year's World Championships in Kigali. Movistar will certainly benefit from his popularity but have in Tesfatsion a quality classics rider capable of searching for results in the hilly races and rack up UCI points. He is the reigning Eritrean road race champion, has finished second in the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race and has obtained a few other results during his two-year stint in the American team.

“I had the chance to get to know the team better this year in Australia during the Tour Down Under and they made a very good impression on me,” Tesfatsion said in a press release. “They are a strong team with a great atmosphere and I am looking forward to putting in my effort and continuing to improve my results."

Taking into consideration Movistar's wide calendar which includes many races in the Spanish calendar that often feature explosive terrain, it is a proper fit for the 25-year old who should be able to get more freedom in the Spanish squad. "I consider myself a rider with power for short climbs and a good top speed, and I want to continue to exploit those qualities. Hopefully next year I can achieve my first WorldTour victory; this year I came close when I finished second in the Cadel Evans Road Race, so I hope I can repay the trust that Movistar Team is placing in me with good results.”