Taylor Phinney (Trek-Livestrong) rides to victory on the Tour of Utah's opening stage. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Wide spread rumors have linked American Taylor Phinney to a four-year contract with the US-based Professional Continental team BMC Racing. However, the double world track pursuit champion set the record straight on Twitter today stating that he has not yet signed an agreement for the 2011 season.
"Uhhhh...For the record, I have not signed ANYTHING with anyone yet," said Phinney in recent rebut on Twitter. "When I sign with a team, trust me Tweeps, you will be the FIRST to know!"
One of the first reports was from the Sporza, a Belgian sports channel, stating that Phinney would likely sign a four-year contract with BMC Racing. "I don’t really know how this got on all the websites and I’ve been trying to look into it myself," Phinney said. "BMC Racing denied that they sent a press release to Sporza. But on Sporza it was said that, and I’m quoting them, ‘I would likely be going to BMC.’
"I’m still weighing my options so I can’t say that I’m likely to be going anywhere next year," Phinney added.
The reports continued on the French website, Ciclismag.com stating that the Phinney will not be competing for US-based ProTour Team RadioShack in 2011. The cycling prodigy currently competes for the team’s Under 23 program Trek-Livestrong but recently raced under the RadioShack banner at the Tour of Denmark as a trainee.
The website further reported that Phinney may have changed his mind and is likely to join the US-based Professional Continental team BMC Racing as it makes a bid to step up to ProTour status in 2011. If so, Phinney would be joining the likes of World Champion Cadel Evans, former World Champion Allessandro Ballan and US National Road Champion George Hincapie.
The team recently announced six new signings that included Italians Manuel Quinziato and Ivan Santaromita, Belgians Yannick Eijssen and Greg Van Avermaet, France’s Amaël Moinard and Swiss rider Johann Tschopp.
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"I was watching the Vuelta and my Twitter started to light up with all these comments of my signing a four-year deal with BMC," Phinney said. "But, I haven’t signed with anybody and if and when I do sign I will put that on Twitter."
Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.
Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.
She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.
