Andre Greipel has launched his sprint out of the HTC-COlumbia team. “Next year I will ride in a team where I can realize my ambitions,” he told the German magazine Sport-Bild. Yup, the squeaky wheel gets the grease and the ticket out.
In fact, he’s told the entire world, not just Sport-Bild, that he has no intention of being in the same squad with rival Mark Cavendish. He wants to ride the big races and the Tour de France instead of getting the Manxman’s leftovers. “If I were allowed to start in larger races, then I would also prove there that I am one of the fastest sprinters in the world,” said Greipel.
Greipel, who’s won eleven races races this year, tops in the ProTour, should have no trouble finding a new team. “My wins speak for themselves. I think I am of interest to many teams,” he said. Unlike Cavendish, the Rostock Rocket has no dental issues; on the flip side the creativity of his victory salutes is almost zero. But hey, a few sessions with a Hollywood choreographer fixes that.
Team manager Rolf Aldag has had a challenging time keeping the two sprinters happy and on opposite sides of the globe. Griepel will ride the Giro while Cavendish heads to the Tour of California. But after three wins in the Tour Down Under and another five in the Tour of Turkey, Greipel believes he needs the biggest stage, the French one.
“I am now 27, and can’t wait forever,” he said. “At any other team I would be set for the Tour de France.” Twisted Spoke says show us the money, the wads of lira, in Italy and then we’ll talk. Bring back three wins and a few heads from the Giro and you jump ship anywhere you want.
Otherwise, it’s back to Turkey and another year of verbal abuse from Cav.
Milram baby here he comes, or who ever the sponsor is next year.