Cycling: Just two days after main sponsor Belkin announced its surprise retirement from cycling, the merry-go-round is beginning to turn.
The first rider to be linked with a new team is Dutchman Bauke Mollema. The sixth-place finisher in last year's Tour de France, who later won a stage of the Vuelta a España, is reportedly in talks with Team Tinkoff-Saxo, according to the magazine De Telegraaf .
Team owner Oleg Tinkoff himself commented on the matter. "I was contacted ," said the Russian, "and asked if I would be interested in Mollema. He is certainly a good rider […] and if I receive a good [financial] offer [from him] , then I am interested."
Mollema is represented by his agent Martijn Berkhout, who also works for Sep Vanmarcke and who told the online portal Cyclingnews that he is not ready to wait for the current team to be rescued in the form of a new sponsor.
Another driver who should be in hot demand at the moment is Wilco Kelderman. The young Dutchman rode a strong Giro and then also shone at the Critérium du Dauphiné. Asked if he is a driver for Tinkoff-Saxo, Tinkov said: "He is a great talent that I would very much like to have on my team." He also referred to the demands that are being made and that go hand in hand with his ideas have to go.
As in the case of Mollemas and Keldermans, the contracts of a large number of Belkin drivers, which also includes two Germans, Robert Wagner and Paul Martens, will expire at the end of the year. The topic will therefore continue to cause a stir in the coming weeks. It remains to be seen whether drivers like Mollema will be impressed. The Dutchman is currently riding in the Tour de Suisse, where he is currently fourth.