Xacobea-Galicia secures funding for 2011
The Xacobea-Galicia team has been waiting a long time to hear today’s news. Their sponsorship will continue into 2011. This is very late in a season to be confirming the continued existence of a team, since by this point most riders have already signed their contracts, and a team can’t offer any contracts until its sponsorship is confirmed. Now Xacobia-Galicia has to cross its fingers that Ezequiel Mosquera, who has not signed anything yet, will extend his contract with the team.
"I am waiting to see what happens to the team, because I owe a lot to it,” said Mosquera. “I do not want to rush, so I have not decided anything. I'll make the decision in due course."
The Galician climber is currently sitting in fifth overall in the Vuelta a Espana, and with three consecutive summit finishes in the three remaining stages before the second and final rest day on Tuesday, Mosquera will be playing a pivotal role in the second week of the second-biggest cycling tour in the world. While the rider, who has been vocal in his concern for what would happen to his team-mates next season, was expected to return with the team if it survived, he surprised everyone by announcing that he wasn’t ready to make that promise.
"Surely, my next contract will be the last that I'll sign,” said Mosquera. “For now though, I want to focus on what matters - the race."
The 34-year-old rider plans to retire when his next contract is up. Cycling contracts typically last two years, while Xacobea-Galicia’s funding has only been confirmed for one more season, which could be the reason for Mosquera hesitation. If he is forced to find a new team again after 2011, there may not be anyone willing to take him for only one season.
The team is also facing the loss of its sports director, and has not yet found a replacement, which surely also plays a part in the rider’s decision. With some of the best form Mosquera has ever shown, now might be the safest and most rewarding time to look elsewhere for 2011, perhaps to a Spanish ProTour team, since his current team has never been invited to the other two Grand Tours.
Tags: