Tony Martin’s transfer to Patrick Lefevere’s Quick Step team has moved a step closer after Garmin-Cervélo and Skil-Shimano both lost out on the German’s signature.
However, while Martin’s agent confirmed to Cyclingnews that Martin had made a decision, he refuted claims that his rider had signed a contract, adding that minor details still need to be finalised.
Patrick Lefevere also confirmed to Cyclingnews that no contract has been signed between the two parties.
Martin does still have a contract for 2012 with Highroad sports and the American team were using his points and position in the sport to leverage a new title sponsor, but after all negotiations broke down Martin was in a position to negotiate with new teams.
His haul of 227 UCI points, which puts him at number 11 in the world rankings, meant that a number of teams would not be deterred by a price tag in excess of €1 million. Quick Step, who are ranked 17th out of a possible 18 teams, are under pressure to sign riders in order to guarantee their WorldTour status.
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Daniel Benson was the Editor in Chief at Cyclingnews.com between 2008 and 2022. Based in the UK, he joined the Cyclingnews team in 2008 as the site's first UK-based Managing Editor. In that time, he reported on over a dozen editions of the Tour de France, several World Championships, the Tour Down Under, Spring Classics, and the London 2012 Olympic Games. With the help of the excellent editorial team, he ran the coverage on Cyclingnews and has interviewed leading figures in the sport including UCI Presidents and Tour de France winners.