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Sam Bennett looks set to leave Deceuninck-Quickstep at end of 2021, with team boss Patrick Lefevere saying his departure was imminent.
There have been reports in the South American media that
Bennett was set to return to Bora-hansgrohe and these have now been repeated by
La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Both Pascal Ackermann and Peter Sagan are set to leave Bora-hansgrohe this year and Bennett, who was transformed as a rider while competing for that team, would return as clear sprint leader.
He left the team after finding himself unable to get rides in the races he wanted, especially the Tour de France, because Sagan and Ackermann were favoured ahead of him.
“(Bennett) doesn't want to leave, but I don't have as much money as certain
other people,” Lefevere told WielerFlits before the start of Giro stage 2 today.
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“Whether it is purely a matter of money? You should ask him. That’s what his manager might want that. At a certain point I can no longer be convinced, then I press the button.
"The fact that these types of riders leave is life. As pros they have to earn as much money as possible. But look at the sprinters who left us. Some riders return to our team on foot.”
Lefevere has often been outspoken in the media while contract talks with riders and their agents are ongoing in a bid to move those talks in his favour. He has repeatedly said in the past that he does not have the same budget as other teams and he often speaks to the media deliberately to influence negotiations in his favour.
However, his remarks about Sam Bennett appear to suggest he is about to leave as Deceuninck-Quickstep is unable to match the bigger offers of other teams. That same scenario saw Elia Viviani leave the team, for Cofidis, two years ago only to be replaced as lead sprinter by Sam Bennett.
As Bennett has been so successful this year and last year - especially winning two stages at the Tour de France and the green jersey - it is no surprise that other teams are willing to outbid Deceuninck-Quickstep for his signature.
While Bennett's time at Deceuninck-Quickstep has been so successful, he also enjoyed very strong years at Bora-hansgrohe and his success there effectively saw him outgrow the team. However, whether he will return there remains to be seen, though it is in need of a leader and would have a very bid budget.
Deceuninck-Quickstep has in recent weeks confirmed long term contracts for some of its leading riders. Remco Evenepoel has signed up for five more years, world champion Julian Alaphilippe for three more years and Tour of Flanders winner Kasper Asgreen also signing for three more.
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