Speculation surrounds RadioShack-Trek possible merger

The Leopard Trek team has denied reports of a possible merger with RadioShack in 2012 but today the Italian Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper claims a deal has been struck between Leopard Trek team owner Flavio Becca and RadioShack manager John Bruyneel to create a new and more powerful Luxembourg-based team for 2012.

Gazzetta dello Sport suggests that Becca is not satisfied with the running of the team and hopes Bruyneel can help Andy Schleck win the Tour de France after his long run of success with Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador.

According to the well respected Italian sports newspaper, the team will be called RadioShack-Trek, with the core of the staff coming from Bruyneel’s current RadioShack team.

There are 27 riders under contract at Leopard Trek and 13 riders under contract at RadioShack. With a limit of 30 riders per ProTeam, that could mean at least ten riders will need to be let go.

However GreenEdge team manager Shayne Bannan told Cyclingnews: "I've been reading the rumours about RadioShack and Leopard but I've had no contact with Brian (Nygaard)."

Cyclingnews tried to contact Flavio Becca, Brian Nygaard and Johan Bruyneel but none of the individuals replied to calls and messages.