Like his team leader Samuel Sanchez, Igor Anton still hasn't found a new team for 2014 but the Spaniard is still hopeful that he will ride for Omega Pharma-Quick Step in the coming season. With Kevin De Weert's future career being uncertain due to severe injuries, Anton may take the spot that could be left by the unlucky Belgian.

While it was always guaranteed that many of the Euskaltel riders would find it difficult to find new teams in a market that is loaded with talented riders, few would have expected the team's leaders to be left without a contract for the coming season in the middle of November. Nonetheless, the team's two biggest stars, Samuel Sanchez and Igor Anton, find themselves in this uncertain position.

While Sanchez has told Biciciclismo that he has no concrete offers or ongoing negotiations, Anton has long been linked with a move to Omega Pharma-Quick Step. However, he put his negotiations on hold when it emerged that F1 driver Fernando Alonso would take over the Euskaltel license, prompting the Belgian team to finalize their roster.

When the Alonso-Euskaltel negotiations broke down, the door had been closed for Anton who suddenly found himself in a very difficult situation. With most teams having finalized their recruitment and Anton having had a less successful season, the Spaniard who has won four stages and twice finished in the top 10 in the Vuelta and won on Monte Zoncolan in the Giro, may now have to put a premature end to his career.

However, a door may have opened up for Anton. As we have previously reported, Kevin De Weert's bad crash in the Vuelta time trial which left him with fractures of his left tibia and his right clavicle and a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee and cervical fracture, may force the Belgian climber to leave professional cycling. This would open a spot on the roster that could be taken by Anton.

The Basque is still hopeful that he will indeed ride in Omega Pharma-Quick Step colours in 2014 but knows that he can take nothing for granted.

"In principle, it seems that he is not recovering well and cannot continue," he told Euskal Telebista. "They are trying to reach an agreement with him to resolve the issue but until they have done so, I will not be able to join them. And it can take two weeks or a month."

He knows that it's a gamble to wait for De Weert's issues to be resolved.

"It is the dream I have because for me Omega is one of the best three teams," he said. "I'm risking a bit in that regard."

Earlier today, Wanty manager Hilaire van der Schueren made it clear that he would be pleased to sign Sanchez for the coming season. The presence of the multiple grand tour podium finisher would open the door for the team to contest a three-week race.

Anton has similar characteristics and admits to have been in contact with the Belgian team. However, Omega Pharma-Quick Step remains his first option.

"It [Wanty] is a very good team but right now I try to get into a WorldTour team which is the most important for me," he said.

While Sanchez has used harsh words to describe his career-threatening prospects, Anton has a more relaxed approach to the fact that his career may be coming to an end.

 "It is not the end of world cycling," he said. "In that sense, I am very happy with the years I've done in cycling. I have enjoyed it."

If Anton is indeed signed by Omega Pharma-Quick Step, he will be their 8th new rider following the signings of Jan Bakelants (RadioShack), Thomas de Gendt (Vacansoleil), Rigoberto Uran (Sky), Mark Renshaw (Belkin), Wout Poels (Vacansoleil), Julian Alaphilippe (Ettix) and Petr Vakoc (Ettix).