Deceuninck-QuickStep Patrick Lefevere said he has not been able to progress his desired signing of Sam Bennett because the Irishman’s current team was claiming he had a contract with them for next year.
The Belgian team boss said Bora-hansgrohe were not only
claiming had an agreement with them for 2020, but had agreed to let him depart
if Deceuninck-QuickStep were willing to trade Alvaro Hodeg.
The 23-year-old Colombian sprinter was suggested as a
sprinter trade in order to allow Bennett depart Bora-hansgrohe for
Deceuninck-QuickStep.
However, Lefevere said he was not interested in such a
trade and would not put a proposal like that to one of his riders.
He had said back in July that he had an agreement in
place with Bennett to bring him to the team to replace Elia Viviani who has
signed for Cofidis.
Advertisement
However, while Lefevere believed that signing would be complete by August, Bennett’s future is still up in the air in late October.
Related News
Bora-hansgrohe is claiming it had an agreement that
Bennett would stay for 2020 while the Irish rider and his representatives say
this is not the case.
Lefevere told Cyclingnews the
situation about trying to bring Bennett to his team was out of his hands.
“It doesn’t depend on me, it depends on him reaching an agreement with Bora. I can’t take a rider who is under contract,” he said of Sam Bennett, a prolific winner this year.
“(Bennett) says that he doesn’t have one, and Bora say
that he has. I’m waiting. I’m here in my chair and waiting. That’s all that I
can do.”
Sam Bennett had his best season ever this year but his
current contract is due to expire at year end. He wants to depart
Bora-hansgrohe, which did not select him for the Giro d’Italia or Tour de France.
However, a disagreement has arisen about whether a deal
to extend his time at the team for another year was entered into earlier this
year. That issue remains unresolved.
Topics
