The rumors about a new Fernando Alonso’s World Tour dream team do not fall silent, while after the end of motorsports’ season F1 driver will find himself busy in a pursuit of cycling stars eager to participate in his project. The latest gossip points out to Joaquim Rodriguez of Katusha and Cannondale’s Peter Sagan as the most probable candidates to lead the team, should the project become reality in 2015.
Formula One driver originally emerged in a cycling world as a savior to folded Euskaltel – Euskadi team, willing to continue their UCI World Tour license, although it took short time before all negotiations went to nothing. Despite this failure, being a renowned cycling fan and cyclist himself, Alonso didn’t give up on his ambitions to create his own World Tour formidable squad.
At present, alongside Kiko Garcia, who is rumored to become team’s manager, Alonso admits that an additional year earned after the deal with Euskaltel fell through is considered as a blessing, since it gives them time to carefully build a squad without an unnecessary hurry and offers broader opportunities to choose among most esteemed cyclists.
“It’s true, we tried and started dealing with some riders. Now, though, we have time to do everything more calmly,” García explained.
“Fernando is a fighter and a winner, and I know that his intention is to make a great team and be the best. How? Step by step, with work and humility. Does this mean he will sign one or two big names in the first year? I don’t know, but the idea is to make an ambitious and big project.”
Differently that after 2013, contracts of many professional cycling brightest stars will expire after 2014 season, what leaves a doors open for negotiations with other World Tour teams, including promising Alonso’s project. Garcia finds described circumstances extremely favorable and hopes to attract some of the big names to feature in their roster from a first year of its existence.
“An interesting list of riders will see their contracts expire,” García, currently Oakley’s European representative, told Spain’s Bici Ciclismo.
“Fortunately, it’s different than this season, when hardly any riders were free.”
Besides Samuel Sanchez, known to be Alonso’s longtime friend, latest gossip points out to Joaquim Rodriguez of Katusha and Cannondale’s Peter Sagan as the most probable candidates to lead the team, as all three riders received VIP invitations to motorsports’ events and were seen, alongside Alonso, on Maranello circuit during Ferrari testing rides. The Italian newspaper said that he seems to be already turning down other contract offers and is waiting on the Spanish F1 star.
“We will face that when it’s time,” Cannondale general manager Roberto Amadio told VeloNews. “We’ll make our offer; the other teams will make their offers. Sagan will decide.”
After finishing his F1 duties Alonso turned all his attention to cycling project and as it was reported, has already signed deals with two significant sponsors. Details will trickle down between now and the team’s presentation at the Tour next summer even if Alonso must wait until August 1 to unveil his dream team.
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