In September, Movistar announced that they had signed 34-year-old French climber John Gadret for the 2014 season. Despite having finished on the podium in the 2011 Giro d'Italia, the Frenchman is ready to sacrifice his own chances to support Nairo Quintana and Alejandro Valverde in the grand tours but hopes to chase personal success in select week-long stage races.

Shortly after the Tour de France, the French press claimed that John Gadret was one of several riders from Ag2r-La Mondiale that wouldn't get a contract renewal for the 2014 season. Despite a long career at the French team that dates back to the 2006 season, the road and cyclo-cross rider suddenly found himself in the position of looking for a new job on a market that was already loaded with cycling talent.

His career was saved by the Movistar team who decided to offer the 34-year-old veteran a two-year contract and so he will be on a foreign team for the first time since 2005 where he rode for the smaller Belgian Chocolade Jacques team. He will be the only Frenchman on a team that has traditionally had several riders from that country on their roster.

Gadret has a long career as a grand tour rider and burst onto the scene in 2006 when he was one of the strongest climbers in the Giro d'Italia until crashing out of the race. In 2010, 2011 and 2012, he was the Ag2r captain in the the Italian grand tour where the disqualification of Alberto Contador saw him being promoted to the podium of the 2011 edition in which he also won a stage.

This year he changed his schedule to focus in the Tour de France but never reached his best form. As a consequence, Ag2r manager Vincent Lavenu decided not to renew his contract, casting his career into uncertainty until Movistar showed their interest.

In an interview with L'Equipe, Gadret confirms that he held talks with Omega Pharma-Quick Step, Saxo-Tinkoff, IAM and FDJ but had no concrete offers from those teams. Knowing that the market is a difficult one, he is grateful that he will be allowed to continue his career.

"When you see that it is likely that more than 100 riders are left without a team I think it's an incredible opportunity to sign a new contract at my age - even with one of the best teams in the world," he told the French newspaper.

Despite his strong showings in the grand tours, he is ready to put his personal ambitions on hold in the three-week races.

"I'll find my place as a teammate, knowing that I will support two amazing leaders in the grand tours," he said. "In some week-long stage races, I will get carte blanche to ride for myself in the summit finishes."

Gadret is also one of the best French cyclo-cross riders and usually starts his road season rather late to rest after his off-road activities. This year he wants to start his road campaign with a bang.

"I want to get back to suffering on a bike," he said. "I want to start 2014 in my best form to prove that they were right to trust me."

Sports director Jose Luis Arrieta knows Gadret from his own active career and knows the value of the climber.

"I know John well because I rode with him for five years at Ag2r," he told L'Equipe. "He is a very good climber and we were looking for an experienced rider to support Valverde and Quintana. I think we will be able to count on him."

Gadret's best result in 2013 were his third places in the Route du Sud and Tour de l'Ain.