2008 time trial world champion Bert Grabsch (Germany)(Image credit: Sirotti)
Bert Grabsch (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) closing in on the finish.(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Bert Grabsch will not wear the colours of Omega Pharma-Quick Step next year. The 38-year old German confirmed this to Radsport News. Grabsch was part of the Belgian WorldTour team for two seasons.
“It didn’t come as a surprise to myself,” Grabsch said. “I was not nominated to ride the Tour de France and after the Tour of Austria they told me I wouldn’t do the Vuelta either. That was a clear sign to me.”
Grabsch started his career in 1998 with the small German team Agro Adler Brandenburg. After two more years in small German teams, he made the move to Phonak. The rider from East Germany had his biggest victories at T-Mobile where he rode for five seasons from 2007.
In 2008, in Varese, he won the world time trial title ahead of Svein Tuft and David Zabriskie. All of his big victories were in races against the clock like the 7th stage in the 2007 Vuelta and the 4th stage in the 2009 Dauphine Libéré. He also won the German national time trial titles in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011 and came second to Tony Martin in 2012.
Grabsch doesn’t think of retirement yet. “I am still very motivated and open to a new contract.” His biggest goal this season is the time trial at the world championships in Florence. “I hope the German cycling union will nominate me to ride there. The course suits me.” He is on the shortlist and will hear on September 13 if he will ride the race on September 25.
Last year in the Netherlands Grabsch finished 36th in the time trial and was not part of the Omega Pharma-Quick Step team that took the title in the team time trial. He finished 8th in the Olympic individual time trial.
“There are offers,” Grabsch told Radsport News, “but I will deal with those after the World Championships. If the offers aren’t good, I will end my career.”
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Grabsch didn’t win for Omega Pharma-Quick Step. His last victory was in the colours of HTC Highroad: the 7th stage in the Tour of Austria in 2011.
Omega Pharma-Quick Step already signed new riders like Alessandro Petacchi for the remainder of 2013 and Rigoberto Urán and Mark Renshaw for 2014. Julian Alaphilippe comes over from the Etixx – Ihned feeder squad. Peter Velits is confirmed to leave the team for BMC.
Cyclingnews contacted Omega Pharma-Quick Step for a reaction to this news but didn’t get a reply.
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