Riis says he’s steadily building his own team
As Saxo Bank SunGard team owner Bjarne Riis did recently, Alberto Contador has also dismissed speculation that his team could merge with his former squad Astana next season.
“There’s nothing [to stories] about a possible merger with Astana. I can tell you 100 percent that it is not going to happen,” the three-time Tour winner told Radio Marca in recent days. “I’m very happy with the team that I have, and I’m fully confident in the plans of Bjarne Riis.”
Given Contador’s somewhat strained exit from the Astana team, it was difficult to see how a merger could have worked. According to Alexandre Vinokourov at the time, Contador initially indicated that he would extend his contract with Astana, but then told the team soon after that that he had signed a deal with Saxo Bank instead.
Vinokourov said at the time that he was disappointed with how things turned out, and was noticeably silent when Contador was later found to have tested positive for Clenbuterol in the 2010 Tour de France.
Riis last week denied the merger rumours, and has said that he is concentrating on building his own team rather than looking to join with anyone else.
“We have a good team and Contador is happy with us,” said the champion of the 1996 Tour. “We are going to reinforce ourselves, but with intelligence and patience.”
The team was recently in negotiations with Vuelta a España runner-up Chris Froome, but the Briton ultimately opted to remain with his current Sky Procycling team.
Riis may well want to sign another Grand Tour contender, though, as Contador’s future is a little uncertain due to his pending hearing before CAS in relation to that Clenbuterol case. Should he be given a suspension, Riis would need another rider to lead the team in three week races.
Richie Porte had been seen by some as a rider who could fill that role, but he has just completed a deal to transfer from Saxo Bank SunGard to Sky Procycling.