Luttenberger still hoping

By Susan Westemeyer

Peter Luttenberger is apparently facing the options of either giving up his ProTour aspirations and riding for a professional continental team in his native Austria, or retiring from cycling. He wouldn't have a problem doing either one, he told www.sport1.at.

Luttenberger did not receive a new offer from Team CSC, where he had previously ridden. He declared himself open to the idea of riding for Team Volksbank or Team Elk Haus, noting that "smaller teams often pay high starting fees in order to be allowed to participate in bigger races. A good 'name' rider would help them either not to have to pay or even be paid to participate, which would bring more money into the team's account."

A team interested in hiring Luttenberger would need a healthy account. Not only does he have high salary demands, he has other requirements. For example, he would want to fly to races and not drive. The team must be invited to such races as the Tour de Suisse or Deutschland Tour.

Volksbank team manager Thomas Kofler said that the team might consider signing Luttenberber if he brought with him a personal sponsor who would take care of his salary. "Luttenberger is a good name. I would like to find a solution, but only if it's an easy one, and not at any price."

If there is no new contract, "Then that's it for me with cycling," quipped the 34-year-old Austrian