Brammeier shadows Cavendish in the recent Tour of Britain
The speculation that world champion Mark Cavendish would follow his close friend Matt Brammeier from HTC-Highroad to Omega Pharma-Quick Step has taken another twist, with one of the key people behind the Belgian team saying Cavendish will not be joining them.
Brammeier told stickybottle a few days ago that he was in the dark.
“Regarding where he will ride next year, I haven’t a clue. And I guess neither has Cav.”
However, Bessel Kok - a businessman from Holland who is one of Quick Step’s biggest shareholders – has now sought to shed light on the situation, telling the Gazet Van Antwerpen newspaper: “Cavendish will not ride for us”.
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He continued: “There have been discussions about his future, but both parties mutually agreed not to sign the contract.”
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Speculation had increased in recent months that Cavendish’s long anticipated move to Team Sky was off.
The fact that no contract had been signed between team and rider despite very protracted negotiations was seen as a sign that all was not well between the British team and the British star.
Cavendish’s bagging of the world title in Copenhagen last month has increased his earning power, a factor that will undoubtedly prolong any contract negotiations.
Speculation had been rife in recent months that Cavendish was about to sign for Omega Pharma-Quick Step, where he would have been reunited with Irish road and TT champion Brammeier. They have known each other since they were schoolboys riding in England and are both products of the GB all-conquering track programme.
Brammeier has since declared for Ireland, by virtue of having Irish grandparents.
But the possible reunion of the pair for next year now appears to have been put to bed judging by the comments from Bessel Kok this morning.
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