Spaniard at ease after withdrawal of Rabobank sponsorship
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After a perfectly timed attack late in the race, Luis Leon Sanchez (Rabobank) has a moment to savor his San Sebastian victory.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Tour de Romandie general classification leader Luis Leon Sanchez (Rabobank)(Image credit: AFP)
Overnight race leader Luis Leon Sanchez (Rabobank) finished 22nd in the final stage time trial and dropped to 10th overall(Image credit: AFP)
Oink, oink: Pigs can't fly but Luis Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) can.(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
Luis Leon Sanchez attacks with Philippe Gilbert in tow(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spain) gets his new bike(Image credit: Daniel Simms)
It took a year for Luis León Sánchez to settle into his new surroundings at Rabobank however, the Spaniard has found his rhythm at the team he re-signed with until the end of 2014. Sánchez won his fourth Tour de France stage victory this year and says he may target the Tour and the Vuelta a España in 2013 while maintaining his traditional start in Australia at Tour Down Under.
Sánchez won his national time trial championships and a stage at the Tour in his first year at the Dutch team in 2011 however, the rest of the season was far from satisfactory for a rider of his caliber.
His team's headline sponsor withdrawing support of the team came as a shock to Sánchez, with the Spaniard explaining there were up to five interested parties willing to sponsor the team while he continued his preparation for the coming season.
"That was where all my concentration lay," said Sánchez to esciclismo.com in regard to Rabobank's decision to cease sponsorship of each of the Rabobank teams.
"Everything is as before, waiting for a substitute for Rabobank to enter," explained Sánchez.
Sánchez added he may consider riding both the Tour and the Vuelta, having sat out his home grand tour after participating in the London Olympics Games earlier this year.
"I don't want to change the [schedule] of the past years. It looks like I'll be in for Tour and, why not, in the Vuelta, in which I was absent from the last edition due to my participation in the Olympic Games."
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