Evergreen Mancebo to keep racing past his 50th birthday

The Spanish rider, who turns 50 in March, had been expected to retire after riding the Tour of Kyushu with his Japanese squad Matrix Powertag, but Marca reports that he has instead committed to extending his professional career.

"I haven't said anything about retiring yet. What's been reported in some media outlets isn't official," Mancebo had stated on social media after speculation about his retirement began circulating previously.

The move to Pingtan marks the latest chapter in one of cycling's most enduring careers. Mancebo made his professional debut with Banesto in 1998, when his teammates included Abraham Olano and the late José María Jiménez.

His career highlights include finishing fourth in the 2005 Tour de France and fifth in 2004, plus a stage victory in the 2005 Vuelta a España at Ordino-Arcalís. In total, he has amassed 38 UCI victories and competed in 12 Grand Tours.

Mancebo's career took a dramatic turn when he was implicated in the 2006 Operation Puerto scandal, though he was never sanctioned. He left the ProTour, as it was the known, and began racing with lower-level teams across the globe, including stints in the United States, Dubai, the Dominican Republic, and most recently Japan, where he has competed since 2018. His teams have included Relax-GAM, Rock Racing, Skydive Dubai and Inteja Dominican Cycling Team.

In early 2025, Mancebo wrote his name in cycling history by becoming the oldest rider to win a UCI-sanctioned race, claiming victory in stage 1 of the Tour du Sahel at age 48.

"As long as I'm enjoying it and my legs hold up, I'll keep going," Mancebo said earlier this year after completing 31 days of competition, including the Spanish National Championships in Granada.

Mancebo’s trajectory echoes those of his compatriot Óscar Sevilla and the late Davide Rebellin, who both left the top level of the sport for extended careers with lower-level teams outside of Europe. 

Sevilla raced with Mancebo at Relax and Rock Racing after Operacion Puerto before moving to Colombia. The 49-year-old continues to race with Team Medellin. 

Rebellin served a doping ban after testing positive for CERA at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but he would return to the peloton in 2011 and remain a pro until the age of 51. He was tragically killed while training in December 2022, just weeks after announcing his retirement.

Mancebo's new Pingtan International Tourism Island Cycling Team competes primarily on the Asian calendar but is reportedly looking to expand its European presence. The team, based in China's Fujian province, focuses on combining veteran experience with developing young Asian talent.

For Mancebo, this represents another opportunity to continue the sport he loves. "I don't know when the last time will be, but as long as I can, I'll keep enjoying it," he said.