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Flecha to leave Team Sky at end of season?

By Cycling News

published 21 July 2012

Vacansoleil-DCM looking to strengthen spring classics roster

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(Image credit: Bettini Photo)

Classics man: Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Team Sky)(Image credit: Daniel Simms)

Filippo Pozzato (Farnese Vini - Selle Italia) and Juan Antonio Flecha (Sky)(Image credit: Photopress.be)

Juan Antonio Flecha's (Sky) Pinarello Dogma K for Paris-Roubaix.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Juan Antonio Flecha sets the pace for Sky and Mark Cavendish.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)

Juan Antonio Flecha (Sky) has never been a prolific winner during his thirteen-year professional career but he has won a stage at the Tour de France (2003) and finished on the podium of the cobbled monuments - Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix on more than one occasion.

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Flecha fell short of a podium spot at this year’s Paris-Roubaix with a fourth-place finish but when it comes to spring racing, he’s a solid performer for both his team and himself, when given the opportunity. Paris-Roubaix is a race he is determined to win.

Given his track record during the early part of the season, it’s comes as no surprise that a number of teams may be interested in acquiring his services for the coming year. Vacansoleil-DCM is rumoured to be one those after his signature for 2013. According to De Telegraaf, Flecha’s manager Alex Carrera has been in discussions with a few potential teams.

"Team Sky, Liquigas-Cannondale and Movistar have shown interest. At Sky he will, however, work for Edvald Boasson Hagen and Geraint Thomas, while Liquigas has Peter Sagan. With Vacansoleil he would take a leadership role. This speaks to him," said Carrera.

The Vacansoleil-DCM team suffered a major setback this season when their number one classics rider, Björn Leukemans injured himself in the lead-up to some of the major spring races. While he could finish Tour of Flanders, he had to withdraw from starting Paris-Roubaix and the remaining races. Flecha would be an ideal candidate for the Belgian team to co-captain alongside Leukemans.