Earlier today, Christina Watches-Onfone manager Claus Hembo revealed that Chris Horner's agent has contacted the Danish continental team with the intention of securing the Vuelta champion a spot on the roster. Contacted by CyclingQuotes, sports director Bo Hamburger explains that the team hopes that Horner's presence will open the doors for the team to some of the big races.

Christina Watches-Onfone may only be a continental team from Denmark but the team has a history of attracting some of the sport's big names to their roster. Originally, created to support former Tour de France king of the mountains Michael Rasmussen, the team quickly started to internationalize its roster by hiring riders with some pretty solid palmarés.

The first big name to be signed was Italian sprinter Angelo Furlan and since then former top-level riders like Stefan Schumacher, Frederik Wilmann, Thomas Frei, Constantino Zaballa and Francisco Pacheco have all been riding for the Danish team. Nonetheless, many were surprised when earlier today it was announced that the team is trying to sign current Vuelta a Espana champion Chris Horner.

Manager Claus Hembo told Danish newspaper BT that the team had been contacted by Horner's agent who has actively been trying to find a team for his American veteran for quite some time. Horner's wage demands were too high for the Trek team which is the latest iteration of his former Radioshack team and Europcar and Vini Fantini have both confirmed that they have been contacted by the agent of the 42-year-old American.

Contacted by CyclingQuotes, sports director Bo Hamburger confirms the news and says that the team is doing its utmost to turn the lofty plans into reality.

"Yes, I can confirm that the story is true," he told CyclingQuotes. "Actually, he contacted us through his manager. It's pretty crazy. He wants to ride for us. But it is a difficult process where we need to find sponsor money to make it happen."

Christina Watches-Onfone has been able to build a pretty solid race program for a continental team. However, Hamburger suggests that the presence of Horner would open several new doors that could see the team be the most high-profiled continental team in the world, with access to some of the biggest races in the world.

"Right now, I am finding out which races his presence would allow us to do," he said. "He is probably not interested in riding for us if he can't do any of the big races. I am referring to some of the American stage races."

Hamburger may be thinking of the three major stage races in the USA, the Tour of California, the Tour of Utah and the USA Pro Challenge. As those races are all part of the UCI America Tour, the door is open for them to invite UCI continental teams from outside of the USA despite the Californian and Colorado races having a 2.HC status.

Today's news are the first that indicates that Horner is willing to step down to continental level but that would impose several limitations on the races he can do. There will be no WorldTour races for Horner if he signs with the Danish team and the only European HC race he can do is the Tour of Denmark.

Hamburger is excited about the news but remains surprised that Horner has been unable to find a team at a higher level.

"If a pro continental team signs a contract with Horner, their participation in the Vuelta is almost secured so I think it is strange," he said. "But of course he is now a rather mature guy."

In December, Horner told Velonews that he is preparing the season as if he had a contract and that he will be ready to start racing as soon as he has found a new team.