Speculation is growing that Team Saxo Bank owner Bjarne Riis will either announce the signing of Alberto Contador, officially unveil the team’s sponsorship for next year, or perhaps confirm both at a press conference to be held tomorrow.
The Dane is expected to discuss the future of the team at the meeting arranged at the Petri Hotel in Copenhagen. The team is known to be losing its current title sponsor at the end of the season and while Riis confirmed at the Tour that Sungaard would be stepping into a much bigger sponsorship role, he said that another backer had been found but that nothing could be announced at that time.
Two companies have been heavily tipped as being involved; the electronics company Siemens has been linked to the team, as has an expanded backing by current frame providers Specialized. The latter would certainly assume a much bigger role if Contador does indeed opt to race for Riis next year.
Since last November, the Spaniard has had a personal sponsorship deal with the bike manufacturer Specialized. It also backed the Astana team he is racing with this season, as well as Riis’ Saxo Bank squad.
However Contador has confirmed that he is leaving Astana and his links to Specialized mean that the company is likely to back whatever team he is moving to.
According to Danish media sources, Team Saxo Bank are remaining tight-lipped about the subject of tomorrow’s press conference. “Unfortunately I can not say what this is about,” press officer Allan Jorgensen told TV2Sport.dk.
Meanwhile there are also some reports that long-time Riis rider Jens Voigt is set to leave the team and compete instead with the new Luxembourg team which will be run by Kim Andersen and Brian Nygaard. Both Andersen and Nygaard were an important part of the Saxo Bank setup in the past but they are working on a new squad to be based in that country.
Andy and Frank Schleck are expected to race for the team next year, and recently confirmed that they would be leaving Team Saxo Bank.
As stated yesterday on VeloNation, the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper has said that Voigt will also move from the Danish setup.