Could Van Petegem replace White at Garmin-Cervelo?

Peter Van Petegem is in talks with Garmin-Cervelo to be a directeur sportif for the team. The Belgian would take the place of Matthew White, who was let go earlier this year.

Van Petegem, 41, would concentrate on his speciality, the Spring Classics. Garmin-Cervelo will have a strong team in the Classics this year, with world champion Thor Hushovd, Heinrich Haussler, Tyler Farrar and Martijn Maaskant.

He confirmed the negotiations with team manager Jonathan Vaughters. “I've been asked to be a team leader for one year, but I fear that would be too much of a good thing,” Van Petegem told Sportwereld.be.

Van Petegem and his wife Angelique Segaert run abed and breakfast, Le Pave, in Horebeke, Belgium. He also serves as race director for the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the Tour of Flanders.

“I have not only a full time job outside of cycling which I enjoy. There is also our bed & breakfast, and I enjoy my role within the organisation of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the Tour of Flanders.”

“I could imagine doing the Spring season, but first I must talk with organiser Wim Van Herreweghe of the Flanders Classics (ed. the organiser of the Tour of Flanders and Omloop). Only then could I go.”

The Belgian turned pro in 1992 with P.D.M., and retired in 2007. His biggest year was in 2003, when he won both the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. He won Flanders and Three Days of De Panne twice in his career, and also won, among others, the Grand Prix E3 Harelbeke, Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, and Omloop Het Volk.

Floyd Landis raised Van Petegem's name in a recent interview with Paul Kimmage, saying, “When (Peter) Van Petegem joined the team I would have discussions with him about how you justified it in your own mind because at this point I was still completely against it.”