Dan Martin is departing Cannondale-Garmin after being with the team - in various guises - since 2007 (Photo: Sirotti)
By Brian Canty
Dan Martin is about to leave Cannondale-Garmin, with Etixx-QuickStep confirming they have been in talks with him and saying they are close to signing him.
The 28-year-old Irishman - who turns 29 years next Thursday - reaches the end of his current contract this year.
It has been confirmed he will leave despite an offer of a contract extension. The only unknown is where he will move to.
Both Trek Factory Racing and Etixx-QuickStep have been linked to the Irish international, with the latter’s general manager saying he is on the brink of securing Martin’s services.
Patrick Lefevere told the team's website: “You’re never sure before the agreement is signed but we’re close.”
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The Tour de France stage winner and top classics rider has been with his current team since 2008 and has shown huge loyalty to them throughout his career.
The team has undergone a number of changes during that time, in terms of its rider roster and from a title sponsor standpoint.
Martin has been one of their most prized assets. He’s won a Tour stage and a stage at the Vuelta and taken victory in Liege Bastogne Liege and the Tour of Lombardy.
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He’s also captured stage and overall victory at Volta A Catalunya and taken the Tour of Poland overall, among other top performances.
This year has been something of a disaster for his team and having merged with Cannondale at the end of last year, much was expected of them.
But the merged entity has been a failure and of 17 WorldTour teams they languish in 15th place in the current rankings.
They have won just eight races and among those are two national time trial championship titles.
The team's riders have won just one stage of a Grand Tour this year - coming from Davide Formolo in the Giro d’Italia.
The recent positive dope result for Tom Danielson will have done little to lift spirits in an already struggling camp.
And Martin has also been left stranded by the roadside for want of faster mechanical back-up on a number of occasions this year.
He will ride the Vuelta later this month, where he will hope to take his first win of the season after going close a couple of times on last month's Tour de France.
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