Wants contract with a ProTour team
South American climber José Rujano has left the ISD-Neri team and is heading back home to his former Gobernación del Zulia squad, according to the Entorno Inteligente. He met with team director Hernán Alemán yesterday and said he was assured a place on the team.
Rujano is now set to take part in the Vuelta a Colombia with his former team this August, and will also ride for them during the Vuelta al Táchira in January of next year. He has also been confirmed as part of the Venezuelan team for the Central American and Caribbean Games in Puerto Rico.
The former Giro d’Italia King of the Mountains winner said that he will wait until the World Championships in September to look for a team that will guarantee a ride in the Italian Grand Tour.
“Some teams may be interested in me, but if it’s not a ProTour team I’m not going to accept the proposal,” Rujano explained. “I want to be 100 percent sure that I will take part in the Giro d’Italia in 2011.”
ISD-Neri was expected to gain a wildcard slot in this past Giro d’Italia, but they were overlooked by the race organizers due to increased competition. Rujano was rumored to be riding the race with the Footon-Servetto-Fuji team, but a deal to switch teams never materialized. He said that the Androni Giocattoli team of Gianni Savio could also be a possible destination.
“It could be with the team of Savio, because he is almost certain to participate in the Giro,” he added.