At 42, Mavi García continues to prove that age remains little more than a number. The Balearic rider is preparing for what is, on paper, her final professional season in 2026, returning to UAE Team ADQ with the same competitive hunger that has defined the most successful period of her career.
Speaking to AS, García reflects on a 2025 campaign that stands as one of the finest of her late-blooming career. The standout moment came in Rwanda, where she claimed a bronze medal at the UCI Road World Championships. It was a result loaded with symbolism, not only as a personal milestone but as part of a breakthrough championships for Spanish women’s cycling, which ended with four medals and an atmosphere García describes as unforgettable. The celebrations, soundtracked by chants of “Kigali, Kigali”, captured a collective confidence that has been building for years.
Mavi Garcia
That global podium followed another major highlight earlier in the season, a stage victory at the Tour de France Femmes. Together, those results framed what García calls the “culmination” of her career so far. She admits that the season did not begin smoothly, but that perspective proved decisive. “When I relaxed a little, everything started to improve,” she explained, underlining a calmness that often comes with experience.
García’s path to the top has always been unconventional. She only entered the elite ranks in 2015, meaning her professional career has been compressed into a decade. That late arrival, she argues, is part of the reason she still feels competitive. In cycling terms, she considers herself younger than many of her peers. The motivation remains intact, particularly when racing for Spain, where she consistently finds an extra level of comfort and confidence. The national set-up, she says, brings out the best version of herself.
Her performances in 2025 were recognised beyond the peloton. García was honoured at the Premios AS alongside figures such as Rafael Nadal and Fernando Torres, a moment she describes as surreal. Yet the attention has not altered her priorities. The focus now shifts firmly to 2026, a season she has already framed carefully.
After leaving Liv AlUla Jayco, García returns to UAE Team ADQ for a second spell, signing a one-year contract by design. The short-term deal reflects a desire for freedom rather than uncertainty. “I signed for one year so I don’t feel tied down,” she told AS. While she does not completely close the door on continuing beyond 2026, her intention is clear. This is meant to be her final chapter.
Mavi Garcia
Within the team, her role will extend beyond results. Alongside leaders such as Elisa Longo Borghini, García is expected to act as a secondary attacking option, as well as a mentor to younger riders, including fellow Spaniard Paula Blasi. Experience, race reading and timing will be her currency, rather than sheer force.
Above all, García’s stated objective for 2026 is simple. She wants to enjoy it. The awareness that the end is near, at least in theory, has sharpened that enjoyment rather than dulled it. She still believes she can be competitive, still believes she has something to contribute, and still feels physically and mentally capable of racing at the highest level.
Whether 2026 truly proves to be her last season remains to be seen. For now, Mavi García approaches it not as a farewell tour, but as one final opportunity to race freely, guided by experience and defined on her own terms.