Despite having 37 victories on his palmares, Francesco  Chicchi may be forced into retirement. The Italian was confident that he would stay at Neri Sottoli and now finds himself without a team for the coming season.

He is waiting for good news to emerge but he may find himself without a team for the coming season. Francesco Chicchi fears that he has been wrong by waiting too long to search for a new contract. The Italian sprinter who has been professional since 2003 - three years at Fassa Bortolo, 4 at Liquigas, 3 at Omega Pharma-Quick Step and the last 2 at Neri Sottoli - and taken 37 wins, risks having to plan his future in a different way than he had imagined.

"I am waiting," he tells Tuttobiciweb in an interview. "I am at home with Martina and our dogs. I train a little by riding my bike. I hope to get the important call for 2015."

Chicchi finds himself in a difficult situation because he felt confident that he would renew his contract with Neri Sottoli.

"Angelo (Citracca, team manager, ed.) kept telling me to wait "because you know that it takes time" but in the meantime the clock has been ticking and I can see that many riders are in my situation. The door for renewal is not closed yet but it seems to be getting harder to get to concrete talks and now I don't know what to think."

Neri Sottoli has been plagued by the doping positives of Mauro Santambrogio, Matteo Rabottini and Danilo Di Luca which may have played a role in Chicchi's difficult situation.

"Certainly, my spot doesn't depend on them and their mistakes because we have very different characteristics but surely they have done lots of damage to the team," Chicchi says. "The scandals have ended negotiations with major sponsors and compromised the entire project."

Santambrogio recently announced that he will return to the peloton with the Amore e Vita team.

"I have seen many riders with a tainted past have already signed but I think it is also improtant to look at the value of the teams where they found a spot," Chicchi says. "I have nothing against [Amore e Vita manager] Ivano Fanini who lives close to me, and he has always called me when I was in trouble in the past, but his team cannot compete in the big races on the European calendar. During my 12-year-career, I have never met him at any races. I don't need to earn a lot of millions but with my experience I cannot settle for a spot in the back end of the peloton."

At the moment, Chicchi is in no advanced negotiations.

"Honestly, I have not talked much with team managers because I assumed that I would stay where I was," he says. "Me wish was and is to remain at Neri Sottoli so I have not done anything earlier. I have not been given a deadline but I no that it is very late. I have never been in this situation in November when all teams have already used their money.

"So many thoughts go through my head. I would hate to end my career because I would like to ride at least for another year. Now that cycling is so comprehensive and takes place in Malaysia, Venezuela, Qatar, Dubai, I think I can still have my say for another couple of seasons in several races. Having never though about the option of not continuing as a rider, I have not thought about any alternatives.

"I have the same desire as I had in my first year with the pros and I am ready to support young riders that are stronger than me in the sprints. During my 12 years as a professional, I have learned a lot from so mange champions. Hope is the last to die so hopefully someone will call me."