The future of Patrick Lefevere's QuickStep team is unquestioned for 2011, but 2012 will see the end of a nine year relationship with the Belgian flooring giant, QuickStep. For the first time in almost a decade, Patrick Lefevere is on the market for a new title sponsor, and the tidal wave of doping positives this week have cast a dark shadow on the chances of finding a new sponsor for 2012, according to the vaunted manager.
In a conversation with Sportwereld, Lefevere is quick to dismiss the importance of the two Xacobeo positives, Mosquera and Garcia. For Lefevere, the two Galicians are an insignificant blip on the radar screen.
"Potential sponsors are not waking up at night after herding about positive tests from Ezequiel Mosquera or David Garcia. Until three weeks ago, nobody knew who they were anyway."
The cataclysmic news of Alberto Contador's positive for clenbuterol en route to his third Tour de France title is another topic entirely. The downfall of Contador could spell a new low for cycling and its image around the world, particularly with big money sponsors already leery about the dirty image of the two-wheeled sport.
"But Contador, that's something else entirely. We're talking about the world's best rider, who has won every one of the major Grand Tours, and so a positive test can be a fatal barrier for a sponsor to enter the market, and heck a disaster for us. I also just heard that there has been stuff found at Riccardo Ricco's house."
While the Contador case is far from over, Lefevere feels that ill effects will be felt whether Contador gets off clean or not. As a manager looking for a new title sponsor, Lefevere confesses to feelings of despondence, a rare mention of feeling from the normally stoic, critical Belgian.
"The damage is done. It's already all over the world that he has tested positive, although the case is very unclear. What should I do now? Hang myself or jump off a bridge?"
Even with the unfortunate news from the Contador camp, Lefevere still has his hopes up in his quest to find a new sponsor to keep his coveted superstar, Tom Boonen, in his ranks for the second decade of the 21st century.
"This Contador case can evolve in a very unfortunate way, but I still hope and have good contact with a large and very interested multinational company."