Editor’s Note: As this article was going to press, Cycling News reported that B&B Hotels team manager Jérôme Pineau informed riders and staff on Friday, December 2 that they were free to sign with a new team after failing to secure the financial guarantees needed to ensure the team’s future.
Fans of Mark Cavendish breathed a sigh of relief in October of 2022 when the Manx cyclist signed a provisional contract with the B&B Hotels-KTM ProTeam for next year. Those of us looking to see him have another opportunity to break Eddy Merckx’s Tour de France win record applauded the move, but recent failures on the part of team management to secure major sponsors have put the 2023 on hold for Cavendish and the rest of the squad.
Let’s be honest. He wins stages.
The contract seemingly signaled an end to uncertainty for the sprinter, who was dismissed from Patrick Lefevre’s Quick Step team at the end of this season. Lefevre initially seemed to be excited to bring Cavendish onto his squad, but denied Cav a start in the 2022 Tour de France, and only put the green jersey specialist in in 2021 when the teams other sprinter Sam Bennett suffered a knee injury.
The latest deadline to be missed by B&B Hotels-KTM team manager Jerome Pineau was a November 22 UCI deadline to complete the application process.
While Cavendish is provisionally signed to the French squad, he is, according to UCI rules, a free agent since the applications and financial guarantees have yet to be met.
With this legendary sprinter on the open market, it begs the question: who wants to buy a legacy? While Cavendish’s best years may be behind him, he still has the spark in his legs for wins; and, despite just one stage win in the 2022 Giro, he tends to bring his best game to France.
For the price of a one year contract, what team and title sponsor would not LOVE to have their jersey on his chest when he breaks Merckx’s record and then possibly exceeds it? Given a one year contract, a guarantee to be on the TdF roster and the chance to stay injury free and focus his training for June, it’s almost certain that Cav will hit his goal.
Is Pro Cycling Suffering a Crisis?
A larger question around the Pro Cycling ranks is whether the sport is suffering a larger crisis. Cycling News reported earlier this week that over 100 riders are without contracts going into the 2023 season. As the article states, 28 riders at the WorldTour level don’t yet have jobs nailed down for next year, including Nairo Quintana and Domenico Pozzovivo.
These are people who have won stages of Grand Tours, if not entire Grand Tours.
75 more riders from second level ProTeams are also without contracts.
These are not people with transferrable job skills. I can’t imagine spending my formative years training for a job that is seemingly evaporating before my eyes.
Ron is the chief cook and bottlewasher at Bike World News, doing everything from website design to bike reviews.
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