Galdeano - The team is falling apart

According to team boss Igor González de Galdeano, many of Euskaltel's riders are on the verge of leaving the team as we speak.

One of them is, not surprisingly, Mikel Nieve, he told Radio Euskadi on Sunday, according to BiciCiclismo.

The team's economic woes are well known by now, and the team head didn't sound overly optimistic about its future.

"The project's instability is complicating things. I don't know how many riders we'll have come the end of the Tour", he's quoted as saying. "This situation has made for a complicated Tour for us. We're going through hard times within the team, and I think we'll have few riders in the team when we finish the Tour.

"It's hard to keep the team together, but that's only normal. When you tell riders who've signed for three years that the team might be gone in six months, you make them nervous and uncertain. Everyone has to do what's best for their future".

The Tour traditionally marks the unofficial opening of the cycling transfer market. Right now, that's harming the team, he claims.

"We're being destabilized, and complicated situations are arising. The Tour is the best showcase, and the riders are nervous. Little by little the team is falling apart".

Mikel Nieve pleased the followers of the team by claiming third on the Ventoux on Sunday, but that might soon be a thing of the past.

"He's one of a kind and he had a great ride. He's a great rider, but I'm afraid he won't be with us anymore come July the 21st".

According to reports, Nieve is about to sign for Bjarne Riis and Saxo-Tinkoff. So far, though, nothing has been confirmed nor denied.