World time trial champion thinking about the future, maybe not with Riis’ team
Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) is rebuilding his form in advance of his bid to take an unprecedented World time trial championship in Melbourne, Australia. While there he also hopes to win the road race, where he would become the first rider in history to hold both titles together; Abraham Olano is currently the only rider to have taken both titles, although the Spaniard held them separately.
“Since I had decided to take it a bit easier after the Tour de France,” he said on his personal website, fabiancancellara.com, “the Vuelta is all about returning to my previous level of fitness. I am also already thinking about the World Championships in Australia. But before I can concentrate on that, I need to focus on the Tour of Spain.”
Beyond the Melbourne World Championships, Cancellara is also considering his options for next season. He is under contract with Riis Cycling, the parent company of the Saxo Bank team, for the 2011 season but is considering other options.
“And then I often think about next season as well,” he continued. “It is an open secret that other teams are interested in me. I have to say, some interesting suggestions have been made, which would also offer me long-term opportunities for the future, i.e. beyond cycling.”
One of those teams would be the BMC Racing Team, sponsored by the eponymous Swiss bike company; it’s no secret that company and team owner Andy Rihs would love to have the outstanding Swiss cyclist right now on his Swiss machines.
Cancellara hasn’t ruled out the option of staying where his is though, and will be discussing the future with the Saxo Bank team soon.
“As I am openly communicating with Bjarne Riis, we have of course discussed this situation,” he explained. “I am delighted that Bjarne will come to the Vuelta and that we will be able to talk about our pending tasks.”
Riis has already lost Andy and Fränk Schleck, plus a number of other promising riders including Matti Breschel and Jakob Fuglsang, to other teams for 2010, but has signed Tour winner Alberto Contador and a number of support riders. Should he lose Cancellara, the Saxo Bank-Sungard team of 2011 will be almost unrecognisable from the Saxo Bank team of 2010.