Pauwels and Sunweb manager say yes, Telenet-Fidea manager, Hans van Kasteren says, not so fast
What do you do when your team isn't living up to your lofty expectations? In the case of frustrated Sunweb-Revor director, Jurgen Mettepenningen, you buy some new talent.
The threatened liquidation by manager Jurgen Mettepenningen of at least six riders from the Sunweb team heading into the 2011 season will certainly open up some budget for the new addition, and he's a bit relevant following today's action, in fact, he's today's winner in Hasselt, Telenet-Fidea's, Kevin Pauwels.
Speaking to Sporza the manager not afraid to let his opinions be known, Mettepenningen, let it be known that Pauwels was heading in his direction next season.
"After this season, Kevin will race with us," declared Mettepenningen.
Pauwels also confirmed the move to Sporza, but interestingly, Telenet-Fidea director, Hans van Kasteren, was a bit more evasive about the future of Pauwels and said that there would be more information concerning today's winner at a press conference on Tuesday.
The Pauwels and Mettepenningen confirmations are interesting, because in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad today, Van Kasteren showed his hand a bit and shed some light on how it might not quite be possible that Pauwels will be leaving.
When it was noted that Pauwels would be exiting Van Kasteren's stable heading into the 2011-2012 season, the 55 year old manager responded: "Ha? Is that so? I'm not so sure."
Van Kasteren called to his secretary to read out a part of Pauwels's contract, she duly followed her orders.
"The employer has the absolute right on the year 2012. In case of an alternative offer, it is a prerogative of the employer to match the alternate offer. Negotiation period preferably by September 30, 2011."
Van Kasteren almost chuckles: "30 September 2011! I have time. Do I need to react to others because it is convenient for them? And if Pauwels signs, well, that he should know."
The same goes for his star rider, World Champion Zdenek Stybar. He has the right to counter any other offer that comes for Stybar's signature.
"His contract runs until February 28th [2012], I have until January 31st to decide. If he gets another offer, it has to pass through me first. I haven't heard back from him yet though."
Looking back to last spring
The transfer that looks to be 100% everywhere but in the mind of Hans van Kasteren is the final result of a year of fighting between managers: Sunweb's Mettepenningen and Telenet-Fidea's Van Kasteren. Back in the spring of 2010, tempers flared between the two managers, as Mettepenningen made big advances to try to swoop up not only Pauwels, but newly crowned World Champion, Zdenek Stybar as well.
Van Kasteren was not pleased citing a charter that was signed: "A while ago, all the cyclocross teams signed a charter, where we promised not to approach riders under contract. Now it happens. Mettepenningen can't be trusted," grumbled the Fidea manager to Sporza.
Consequently, Van Kasteren threatened legal action - he followed through and filed suit against the Sunweb manager. Unsurprisingly, Mettepenningen threatened a counter-suit, but nothing has come of it to this point.
Mettepenningen was frank in his view of the situation last spring: "Look, I just want my sponsors to have the best riders available, but I have plenty of time. Indeed, I never signed the charter [not to pursue contracted riders], and cyclocross teams don't stick to it," noted the Sunweb manager to Sport.be.
Speaking today with Het Nieuwsblad, Van Kasteren dismissed Mettepenningen as a copy cat.
"He always follows the path I go. When I say quality is more important than quantity, he says one week later: We need to jettison some riders, because we are not doing well. [Laughs] He is indeed not doing well, but that doesn't matter, because I do not see him as a competitor."
The logical question follows: are they not racing the same races? "Are you not still fishing in the same pond?" asks the interviewer, Bert Heyvaert.
"Yes, but we fish at a higher level. Look at the results. The top riders are apart from the rest, and we are a big margin above the rest."
Of course, the loss of Pauwels will be a blow to Van Kasteren, if it does in fact go through. It seems like Van Kasteren holds the cards though, unless Pauwels and Mettepenningen have something up their own sleeve. Either way, it looks likely that it won't be a pleasant fight, and it certainly won't be an amicable parting of ways whenever Pauwels does leave the team.