The 2011 season for Movistar Team began in January at the Tour de San Luis and ended in October at the Giro di Lombardia.
After a successful early season, including the overall crown at the Vuelta a Castilla y León, team rider Xavier Tondó was killed in a freak accident at his home while preparing for a training ride with teammate Beñat Intxausti.
After making a 40-rider selection with 15 km (9.3 mi) remaining in the Trofeo Deià, Rojas won the resulting sprint among those riders.
At the Tour de San Luis, new acquisition Tondó won the 19.5 km (12.1 mi) individual time trial, gaining a 30-second lead over Androni Giocattoli's José Serpa in the process with three days left to race.
[17] In the race's penultimate stage, however, Tondó dramatically bonked and crashed on the descent of the Cerro El Amago, the day's last climb.
Ventoso won the race's queen stage in Willunga ahead of the sprinters who populated the top of the general classification standings.
[28][29] The overall classification was left wide open the next day when three-time champion Alberto Contador suffered mechanical trouble on the race's only summit finish, the Laguna de los Peces, and lost two minutes.
[32] Neo-pro Sanz took the first win of his career at the Vuelta a la Comunidad de Madrid in a short (84.8 km (52.7 mi)) road race held the same day as the prologue time trial.