Vuelta a España leader Nairo Quintana will finally leave Movistar in 2020 to join French professional continental team Arkea Samsic on a three-year contract.

Quintana's brother, Deyer, will also join, as will Winner Anacona, another Colombian and key Movistar ally, and Diego Rosa, who has been with Team Ineos for the past two years.

The announcement comes hours after Quintana officially announced one of cycling's best-kept secrets: that he will be leaving Movistar at the end of the season, a company he has been with since 2012.

Quintana's move to Arkea-Samsic is a major boost in the Grand Tour for the French team as it aims for the 2020 Tour de France. Quintana won a stage in the Alps at this year's Tour de France, but did not fare as well on GC, finishing eighth.

Quintana's decision to join Arkea Samsic has put to rest months of speculation about his future destination. In the Colombian media, Arkea Samsic was always considered his first choice, although UAE Team Emirates was also mentioned as a possibility at one point.

"Alkea Samsik is progressing year by year. I follow their development, I am interested in their projects, and most of all I like their outlook," Quintana said.

"I think the human values are very important and even central to the team. I was looking for a team that would make me happy. I think that's the key to professional success."

Quintana has won both the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España, but failed to win the Tour de France, despite three podium finishes in Paris. He named his ambition to win the Tour his "yellow dream" and insisted that he would carry it on with his new team.

He signed on two years ago with Warren Barguil, a Brittany native who had won several Tour de France stage victories and was central to the team's identity.

"My ambition remains the same. It's to fight to win the Tour de France, both personally and as a whole team. It's a turning point in my career, but I'm convinced it's a positive one. I have to get used to it, I have to learn French, but above all I want to continue doing what I love. When I am on my bike I am happy and at peace. Together we want to wear the Arkea Samsic jersey and do what we do best," Quintana said.

"This group is interesting. I already know Warren because we have raced in the same races since the youth category. Management has chosen to use riders I am familiar with. For me, it is very important to have Deyer, Winner, and Diego with me. They are my family. That's the way it is in our culture. I want to shine for my country with the support of those close to me. I don't know much about Breton culture yet, but I hear there are some similarities. We will know from this winter. I'm coming to Brittany to give my feet, my heart, my everything."

Arcair Samsic coach Emmanuel Hubert expressed his pride in welcoming a big player like Quintana.

The team has its roots as an amateur team founded by Jean Flocq in 2005 and has competed in the Professional Continental ranks, or the second tier of professional cycling, since 2005. in 2014, it competed in its first Tour de France. in 2014, it competed in its first Tour de France. in 2015, it competed in its first Tour de France, In 2018, the team's budget increased and it signed a three-year contract with Warren Barguil, who had just won two stages and the polka-dot jersey at the Tour de France. In addition, in 2019, he signed 11-time Tour de France stage winner Andre Greipel, who has expressed ambitions to attain WorldTour status in the near future.

The addition of Quintana, a multiple Grand Tour and World Tour-level stage race winner and three-time Tour de France podium finisher, is a major statement of intent.

"On paper, our 2020 team of 28 riders will not be envied by the best World Tour teams. We are giving ourselves three seasons to realize our project of winning a Grand Tour," Hubert said. [My goal is to build the best team in the world. This requires rigor and professionalism at all levels. We are no longer a "small" family team, but continue to put individuals at the center of our projects. We hope that every rider and every colleague will be invested in this project and that success will be collective."

Hubert addressed the issue of Warren Barguil, explaining where the addition of Quintana puts the Frenchman signed in 2018 as the leader and talisman of the team. Barguil struggled to replicate the successful Tour de France before his move and considered quitting cycling, but he returned this summer by becoming French champion and finishing 10th in the Tour de France.

Hubert insisted that Barguil would be on equal footing with Quintana as a leader and would ride for overall victory as well as stage wins in the Grand Tour.

"The alliance between Nairo Quintana and Warren Barguil must be an additional strength for both of them. They must serve each other to progress," Hubert said. [Nairo Quintana has won the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España and has three podiums in the Tour de France. I'm confident Warren has the ability to shine on GC and I want to lead him down this path.

"We want to form a solid group of climbers around two leaders. I believe the bonds formed at training camp will contribute to the strength of the team in competition. To cement that bond, we are planning a training camp in the south of France."

Hubert also hinted at a new contract. While Greipel still has one year left on his contract, which is expected to last, Alcare is still rumored to be working with Nasser Bouhanni, who will leave Cofidi at the end of 2019.

"Backed by two great sponsors, Alcare and Samsic, we want to compete on all terrains, which also means strengthening the sprint division," Hubert said.

"The announcement will come in mid-September.

Quintana's announcement of his departure from Movistar came just weeks after Mikel Landa announced his move to Bahrain-Merida.

"It's time to end this marriage," Quintana said at Movistar's Vuelta rest day press conference on Monday.

Quintana has been on the podium three times in the Tour de France and won the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España with Movistar. However, after his "best period in cycling" with the Spanish team, he announced he was moving on.

The 29-year-old hinted that he might return to Movistar in the future, but he said: "This marriage has to part, at least for now. I don't know if I'll come back, but for now, it's time to move on."

Quintana concluded his press conference by thanking Movistar's backup staff and teammates, and spoke about the possibility of a third Grand Tour attempt before leaving the team.

"I can win, it's possible," said Quintana, who is currently six seconds behind Primoz Lorgic (Jumbo Visma). Tomorrow [the stage 10 time trial] is very important. Even though he took the red jersey, the real race leader is Roglic, considering the time he will put on us in tomorrow's stage. I'm going to give it my all and that's all I can do."

On how the time trial will affect Movistar's battle for the Vuelta lead and himself and Valverde, Quintana said: "The most important thing is the team, and depending on who rides better will help the other one. It depends on who is the strongest."

Quintana concluded by saying that he is getting better every day. Based on his performance in Andorra, his form certainly seems to be heading in the right direction. How the improved conditions will affect Tuesday's time trial and how much time he will lose to Roglic will be one of the most important questions in this year's Vuelta.