Danish time trial champion Jakob Fuglsang (RadioShack-Nissan)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Jakob Fuglsang (RadioShack-Nissan)(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
Jakob Fuglsang (RadioShack-Nissan) remains in the leader's yellow jersey.(Image credit: Mario Stiehl)
The uncertainly surrounding Jakob Fuglsang's future appears a little brighter after the rider said he is in with a chance of racing for RadioShack-Nissan in some of the remaining WorldTour races this season. The Danish rider also confirmed to Cyclingnews that Astana and Omega-Pharma Quick Step were at the head of the queue to sign him for 2013.
Fuglsang had been pulled from competing at WorldTour races by Johan Brunyneel after the rider publicly stated his desire to leave the team at the end of the season. Any such move would see Fuglsang's new team take advantage of the UCI's transfer system in which rider points are transferred to their new teams. Bruyneel's response to Fuglsang's transfer talk was to remove him from all WorldTour races, while there was also speculation that Fuglsang's season would end immediately.
However a lack of fit and ready riders in the Shack camps could see Fuglsang take part in two Canadian races - both at WorldTour level - next month.
"My next race is the Tour of Colorado. From then on I don't know. I'm hoping that I can do the Canadian races; otherwise I'll come back to Europe and do some one-day races. The problem with the Canadian races is that they're UCI WorldTour races but we'll see," Fuglsang told Cyclingnews.
"The team might only have six riders to send there so I hope that they would reconsider their decision and then we'll see. Otherwise I'll just take it easy and prepare for the World Championships."
With the troubles over missed payments now behind him, Fuglsang can also look towards finding a new team. When he first announced his intention to leave RadioShack his preferred option seemed to be Saxo Bank, a move that would have seen the rider link up with his ex-boss, Bjarne Riis. However with Riis set to see Contador return from his ban, Nicholas Roche already signed for next year and Roman Krueziger also rumoured to be on his way, Fuglsang has decided to look elsewhere.
"I've not signed anywhere so I can't say. Nothing is signed."
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"Right now I don't think Bjarne's team is one of them. I can tell you that Astana and Omega Pharma are the two teams I'm talking to the most. I would like to go and work with Bjarne again but I have to look at my own role on the team and for me with the investments he's making at the moment it might not be the right choice for me. He's going to have a really strong team with Contador back and other GC riders so it might not be the best solution for me, so that's why he's not number one on my list right now."
Fuglsang's Olympics saw him compete in the time trail and the road race. Having formed part of the first major break in the road race, he went onto finish 15th in the time trial around Hampton Court in London.
"For me it's too flat and there's too little climbing and too many holes in the road," he said when discussing the time trial route. "It's a parcour for the real specialists because it's 50 kph and it's about power more than anything else. As for my Games, I showed that even without super legs and I had what it takes to be there for 250K in the road race so in general I'm satisfied."
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.
