Page's season plagued by problems

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This season American cyclo-cross star Jonathan Page (Planet Bike) has struggled to gain the results he's wanted in Europe while being forced to search for a new title sponsor. It all adds up to a rather forgettable Continental campaign thus far.

The 34-year-old, who took silver in the 2007 cyclo-cross world championships, hasn't captured a win so far during the 2010-2011 season and at the big European 'cross events he's failed to even crack the top 10.

Meanwhile, Page found out that his current title sponsor, Planet Bike, will not extend his contract.

"It's a bit of a roller-coaster right now. It's much more than just the bike racing. I'm not performing on the bike as I would want to, my wife is pregnant and I don't have a title sponsor for the next season," explained Page.

"I talked with Bob Downs, the owner from Planet Bike. He's selling the company and the new people are not interested in the cyclo-cross team; my contract will not be extended," he added.

Page has never experienced a calm build-up to the world championships and this year is turning out to be no different. In 2006 he broke his collarbone before claiming an unexpected second place at the world championships in Hooglede, Belgium.

A year later he had a row with his Belgian Sunweb-Projob team and manager Jürgen Mettepenningen, ending his term after one year instead of completing his two-year contract.

Last year Page missed a post-race doping control after the World Cup in Koksijde and although he eventually wasn't suspended for the incident he did miss a large part of the season.