Dismissing rumours that the rider has already decided where he will go next season, Philippe Gilbert’s agent Vincent Wathelet has said that the negotiating process is still ongoing and that one big consideration is that the Belgian wants a three year deal.
“The rumours sound like Philippe already knows the jersey he will be wearing next year. That is nonsense,” he told Het Nieuwsblad. “We have some more time [to decide], but we also want to know more about the Lotto state project, Omega Pharma and Quick Step,” said Wathelet.
Two of the squads he is referring to will be formed when Gilbert’s current Omega Pharma Lotto team splits at the end of the season. Both want him, but general manager Marc Sergeant has conceded that the latter may not be able to keep him.
“I don’t think there is the money to pay him,” Sergeant recently admitted to Het Laatste Nieuws. "That money may have been there if the sponsors had stayed together. Gilbert is the [Alberto] Contador of the one day races. He has reached a point where he can earn really big money.”
Gilbert’s dominant wins this year in Brabanste Pijl, the Amstel Gold Race, la Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège underlined his status as the best Classic rider of the season and, given that he is only 28, it’s reasonable to think that he could continue to develop for a couple more seasons.
He’d be a huge draw for any team and his presence would considerably increase the negotiating power with potential backers; however, Wathelet wants a strong financial setup in place before he goes anywhere. “It seems things are backwards: get Gilbert and then get the sponsors on board, but we don’t see it like that,” he said.
“Philippe wants the financial guarantee for three seasons. Although no option, because an option is not allowed by the UCI. There are not many teams who can guarantee that they could do three years and have sufficient budget, and where he can also feel good in the sporting sense. A number of teams were thanked for their interest, though.”
One team that could in theory fit the bill is Team Sky. Sergeant told Het Laaste Nieuws that he believed the British ProTeam was interested. “I understand that Team Sky also wants Gilbert,” he said. “Sky is a global player and Philippe speaks its language. With Gilbert you can go anywhere in the world. If Gilbert chooses then there will clearly be room for a number of other riders.”
However Sky is also interested in Mark Cavendish, and so it remains to be seen if it would have sufficient budget to bring both riders on board.
The rider will think further on the subject in the weeks ahead, with his advisors helping him to choose the best offer. In the meantime, he’ll keep his mind on the job: he’s due to line out in the Ster ZLM Tour as part of his build-up towards the Tour de France, and will presumably also aim for victory in the Belgian championships.