If the speculations of the Spanish magazine Biciciclismo are to be believed, Fernando Alonso will join forces with Team Cannondale starting next season. The report indicates that the team will operate under the name Alonso Cannondale . The reason given for the merger is the supposed departure of Slovakian Peter Sagan, whose contract with Cannondale expires at the end of the year and who has been frequently linked to Alonso in recent weeks. The merger would therefore be advantageous for both parties. The bicycle manufacturer could retain its current brand ambassador in Sagan, and Alonso would be able to plan with a WorldTour license from the outset.
At the end of last season, those responsible for the Cannondale team had already consulted with the Russian Oleg Tinkov. However, the merger failed at the time. Meanwhile, Tinkov bought the Saxo-Tinkoff team. For his part, Alsono had expressed interest in buying the Basque team Eusklatel-Euskadi. But this deal didn't materialize either. Against this background, the merging of Cannondale's and Alonso's interests makes sense. In addition, the team, whose formation is currently being determined by Paolo Bettini, could attract some of the sport's top stars. In particular, drivers such as Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo), Joaquim Rodríguez (Katusha), Samuel Sánchez (BMC) and the Portuguese Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida) were named as possible drivers.