Horner's agent surprised his client has no team for 2014

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Christopher Horner’s agent has expressed surprise after he confirmed that his client is still without a professional contract for 2014. Horner won the Vuelta a España last month and in doing so became the oldest grand tour winner of all time. However the 41-year-old has not yet signed a contract for next season.

When asked if he was surprised by Horner’s current predicament, Michael Rutherford, Horner’s agent, told Cyclingnews, “Yes, I am surprised. I would expect that after winning the Vuelta that we would have a deal but there isn’t [one]. We are trying to conclude a deal with a WorldTour team and that’s all I can tell you.”

Horner, now out for the rest of the season after breaking several ribs in a crash during the World Championships, rode for RadioShack Leopard this season. The team will morph into Trek next season with a number of riders and staff making the move. Horner has not been offered a contract by the team at this stage.

“All I can tell you is that we are talking to several teams but nothing has been agreed at this point,” Rutherford said before adding that his client was “adamant about staying at the WorldTour level.”

On the back of his Vuelta win, Horner released his biological passport data in order to “allow fans to feel confident in his victory at the Vuelta a España and the current state of the sport of cycling.”

Previously, Horner had opted not to answer when asked by Cyclingnews if his was a redacted name in rider testimony published last year as part of USADA’s Reasoned Decision on the Lance Armstrong doping case.