Steegmans in negotiations with Milram

Gert Steegmans is in contract negotiations with Team Milram for in the 2010 season. The German team confirmed on Monday that they are interested in Steegmans, although neither party will confirm how far discussions have proceeded.

"Gert Steegmans is an interesting rider for us," Milram General Manager Gerry van Gerwen told Cyclingnews. "We are holding talks with him."

The Belgian newspaper Sporza said that there was an oral agreement between the Belgian sprinter and the German ProTour team, but neither side would comment on those suggestions.

"Let's just say that Milram is an important option for Gert," Steegman's manager Paul De Geyter told Het Laatste Nieuws.

At Milram, the 28-year-old would join sprinter Gerald Ciolek, who finished third in the Vattenfall Cyclassics on Sunday.

Russian team Katusha put Steegmans on inactive status earlier this summer when he refused to sign the team's anti-doping charter. The rider and the team apparently terminated their contract effective August 5, but the team maintains that it still has a valid contract with him.

Steegmans has also been linked with a possible move to either BBox Bouygues Telecom or Columbia-HTC.

Steegmans last race for Katusha was the Dauphiné Libéré the middle of June. He returned to racing last weekend in a criterium, wearing the jersey of a private sponsor.

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