According to Spanish website todociclismo.com, Phonak's Oscar Pereiro is about to sign a two-year contract with Illes Balears-Caisse d'Epargne. The Spaniard's current team gave its riders the freedom to leave if they wanted to, as Phonak hearing Systems will only be sponsoring the squad until at the end of 2006. Pereiro, according to his agent José Luis Pascua, had offers from T-Mobile and Quick.Step but finally opted for the Spanish Balearic Islands team, where he will be racing alongside Alejandro Valverde, as current Vuelta captain Francisco Mancebo will be riding for French Ag2r next season.
