Following speculation yesterday that a deal was close with the Skil-Shimano team, Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf is claiming that Tony Martin will in fact head to the Omega Pharma - Quick Step team in 2012.
The German time trialist has had a very strong season, with his results including overall victories in Paris-Nice and the Volta ao Algarve, as well as time trial stage wins in the Critérium du Dauphiné and the Tour de France. His near-four year relationship with the HTC Highroad team will come to an end at the close of the season due to that squad’s winding down, and he has been studying offers to move elsewhere.
According to De Telegraaf, he has been much in demand. He received offers from Skil-Shimano, Leopard Trek, RadioShack, Astana and Saxo Bank SunGard. However it says that he is now set to join current team-mates Peter and Martin Velits and Frantisek Rabon in moving across to the team of Patrick Lefevere, which will join forces with the Omega Pharma sponsor next year.
Meanwhile Philippe Gilbert’s agent has said that he isn’t ruling out a move by the rider to the same team. He was quoted last week as saying that the BMC Racing Team is the more likely destination of the two, but has now clarified that to say that both teams remain in the running.
“On Thursday or Friday I will talk with Patrick Lefevere,” Vincent Wathelet told Het Laatste Nieuws. “We have received the final offer of BMC and now know quite specifically their proposal. It makes sense that we give the leaders of Omega Pharma – Quick Step the opportunity to come up with an answer to this offer. I am convinced that Lefevere will also put together a strong team, but BMC has the advantage that it already has a strong team. Still, maybe I was misunderstood last week when I said that BMC was ahead [in the bidding]. Omega Pharma – Quick Step also has another chance.”
Gilbert currently has one year remaining in his contract with the Omega Pharma – Lotto team. He suggested earlier this month that there was potential tension with part of the management structure.
“I regret that I am not able as promised to inform my supporters and the press as to my decision [about a new team] but suffice to say that the last official contact I had with BCC [Omega Pharma’s holding company] was through our respective lawyers,” he told Le Soir. It is thought that the differences arose from Omega Pharma believing his contract for 2012 remains binding, while Gilbert and his agent feel the split in the team invalidates the final year.
Whether or not those tensions were significant, it appears that his agent has found a way to talk business and to consider a move to the new setup.
Gilbert has been the standout rider of the 2011 season, in terms of his consistency and number of victories. He has clocked up sixteen wins, including an extremely rare Ardennes Classic triple plus a Belgian national championship double.