Johnny Hoogerland's time as an Androni rider ends on a bad note. The Italian team will take the Dutchman to court after he claimed that the team had refused to pay him his full December salary.

Johnny Hoogerland had probably expected to end his time at the Italian Androni Giocattoli team on a better note. The former Dutch champion claims to have received a reduced salary in December. Apparently, team manager Gianni Savio has shaved 2300 euro off his payment to the Dutch rider.

"It is an unspecified reduction that we have questioned," Hoogerland's manager Frank Kwanten told Wielerflits. "Johnny has always received a decent salary. However, in December it was suddenly not the usual amount which is weird."

According to Kwanten, it is difficult to communicate with the Italians. "If you attract international riders, that the team is ready for that. Now we have to get a translation of the wage specification The team is hiding behind the Italian law. " 

Yesterday Hoogerland sent an easy tweet to UCI president Brian Cookson, asking where to go if a team refused to pay the salary. Savio quickled responded by issuing a press release, threatening to file a lawsuit against the Dutchman. The team claimed Hoogerland was told the difference was paid to the Italian State for income tax.

“We believed the problem was solved,” the team wrote. “But the above ‘tweet’ has created a situation which is seriously defamatory for our Team. We will immediately send UCI the full documentation proving all the payments made to Hoogerland including the full payment and all the contributions paid to the Italian State. Our Solicitor Avv. Giuseppe Napoleone will take Hoogerland to Penal Court with charge of calumny and defamation and to Civil Court for punitive damages.”

Kwanten confirms that Hoogerland received  just 1910 euros instead of 4300 euros on December 29.  "It is unfortunate that this goes wrong. Johnny has always been treated well by the team," Kwanten emphasized. 

The lack of communication was one of the reasons that Hoogerland decided to sign a contract with the new Ducth Roompot team.