The next two weeks are ‘crunch time’ for Bernhard Eisel as he looks to secure a new contract for 2016. The Team Sky road captain is out of contract at the end of this season, having served at the British WorldTour team since 2012 but he is relaxed about his options.
At the recent RideLondon Classic the 34-year-old sat Eisel down with Cyclingnews to talk about his chances of re-signing with Team Sky, returning to a French team [he rode for FDJ from 2003 to 2006 - ed.] and the possible option of linking up with a former teammate, Mark Cavendish.
“I’m still discussing my future. The priority is to stay here [at Sky] and we’re getting close but of course there’s talks with other teams but nothing is signed and I don’t have a contract at home to sign yet. I’m not actually stressed though. I know that not much happens during the Tour de France except with the riders who are there and now it’s crunch time in the next two weeks,” Eisel told Cyclingnews.
ADVERTISEMENT
Eisel has carved a niche for himself at Team Sky as a rider who can captain squads at both Grand Tours and Classics. He may not quite have the sprint legs of the rider who won Gent-Wevelgem back in 2010 but he remains a thoroughbred with vast peloton experience and race know-how.
“My preference would normally be to stay here. I know what I have here and to go somewhere else and start new doesn’t make it easier for myself. There’s interest from different teams and there’s other opportunities but this is more about weighing up where I want to go and what I want to do.”
Part of the puzzle Eisel must solve is whether he wants to remain directly in cycling once he hangs up his wheels. A role as directeur sportif is one potential avenue the Austrian could pursue but so too is higher education, with studies in sports management another option. The long-term future cannot be ignored once a rider moves into his thirties but Eisel also believes that his legs are still strong enough to warrant a place in a WorldTour team.
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest News http://ift.tt/1M2LC28
No comments:
Post a Comment