Nairo Quintana and Alejandro Valverde will join forces for the first time in 2014 when they line up at this weekend's pair of Spanish one-day races, Vuelta a Murcia and Clasica de Almeria. The duo will look to shine in Saturday's hilly race while it will be up to sprinters Jose Joaquin Rojas, Francisco Ventoso, and Juan Jose Lobato to come away with the goods on Sunday.

Reinforced by their impressive last week, with three stages and the overall victory in the Vuelta a Andalucía for Alejandro Valverde, the Movistar Team riders will be getting back together in southern Spain this weekend for the 34th Vuelta a Murcia (Saturday, March 1) and the 29th Clásica de Almería (Sunday 2).

The Murcian race -190km from Beniel to the hilltop finish in the Castillo de Lorca - featuring the categorized climbs of Cabezo de la Plata, the Alto de Espuña and the Collado Bermejo - will mark the first time together in 2014 for the telephone squad's two main references: Nairo Quintana and Alejandro Valverde who finished 3rd in last years' edition of the race. The event was once a stage race but due to economic struggles it has been reduced to one-day race. It is Valverde's home race and so he will be eager to make an impression in a race that suirts him down to the ground.

The ten-man roster will be completed by brothers Jesús and José Herrada, Pablo Lastras, Javi Moreno, Rubén Plaza, Dayer Quintana, Enrique Sanz and local José Joaquín Rojas.

At the Andalusian event - with four small ascents on the 178km route between Almeria and Roquetas de Mar- , Valverde and Quintana will be showing up again, as well as José Herrada,Moreno, Lastras and Rojas. The race usually comes down to a bunch sprint and so the six will be joined by two interesting sprinting forces: Fran Ventoso and Juanjo Lobato who will team up with Rojas to offer the squad a number of options in case of a bunch kick.

Chente García Acosta will be the Sports Director for both races.

Movistar for the Vuelta a Murcia:

Alejandro Valverde, Nairo Quintana, Dayer Quintana, Jose Herrada, Jesus Herrada, Ruben Plaza, Pablo Lastras, Jose Joaquin Rojas, Enrique Sanz, and Javier Moreno

Movistar for the Clasica de Almeria:

Alejandro Valverde, Nairo Quintana, Francisco Ventoso, Jose Joaquin Rojas, Juanjo Lobato, Jose Herrada, Javier Moreno, and Pablo Lastras