“I should be absolutely fine, racing at a very high level," says American domestique
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He is Ted King (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Liquigas-Cannondale's Ted King works to pull Ivan Basso back into the race at Paris-Nice(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
A disappointed Ted King (Cannondale) during the morning of stage 5 at the Tour de France(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Cannondale rider Ted King told Cyclingnews on Saturday that he has a contract in the works with a “high-level” team for next season, but he would not elaborate on which team that might be.
“There are talks going on, and I should be fine,” King said. “And I'll keep it perfectly ambiguous like that.”
King, 31, has ridden with the Italian-run Cannondale squad since 2011, when the team competed under the Liquigas-Cannondale sponsorships. The American has been an integral part of teammate Peter Sagan's lead out train over the years, but Sagan announced earlier this year he is leaving for Tinkoff-Saxo next season.
Slipstream sports, which manages the Garmin-Sharp WorldTour team, revealed last month that it would join forces with the Cannondale squad next season, stirring the pot even further. Slipstream general manager Jonathan Vaughters told Cyclingnews during the USA Pro Challenge in August that the team had made offers to all of the eight Cannondale riders under contract for next year. But King's current contract with the Italian team expires at the end of this season.
It's rumored that King is in negotiations with Vaughters' team, but the Cannondale domestique was holding his cards close to his chest this week at the Tour of Alberta in Canada.
“I should be absolutely fine, racing at a very high level – one that I'm comfortable with and happy with,” he said.
Slipstream confirmed to Cyclingnews last month that Janier Acevedo, Nate Brown, André Cardoso, Tom Danielson, Lasse Norman Hansen, Ryder Hesjedal, Alex Howes, Ben King, Sebastian Langeveld, Dan Martin, Ramunas Navardauskas, Tom Jelte Slagter, Andrew Talansky and Dylan van Baarle all have deals for next year.
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From Garmin-Sharp’s existing team, Jack Bauer, Thomas Dekker, Caleb Fairly, Koldo Fernandez, Phil Gaimon, Raymond Kreder, Lachlan Morton, Nick Nuyens, Johan Vansummeren, Tyler Farrar, Steele von Hoff and Fabian Wegmann were without a 2015 contract as of August 27.
Vaughters told Cyclingnews last month that there are still five to eight spots open on the 2015 squad.
Growing up in Missoula, Montana, Pat competed in his first bike race in 1985 at Flathead Lake. He studied English and journalism at the University of Oregon and has covered North American cycling extensively since 2009, as well as racing and teams in Europe and South America. Pat currently lives in the US outside of Portland, Oregon, with his imaginary dog Rusty.
