Nacer Bouhanni is one of the hottest names on the transfer market at the moment, since his value has significantly increased following the successful Giro d’Italia campaign and the internal rivalry between him and Arnaud Demare within the FDJ made his contract extension with the French squad less and less probable after his current deal expires by the end of 2014 season.

Even before his highly successful participation at the Giro d’Italia, Bouhanni suggested that several strong teams expressed their serious interest in signing the 23-year old sprinter, but his latest performances – three stages and a points jersey taken in the Italian event, certainly raised the stakes. While squads like Cannondale- especially on a very probable departure of Peter Sagan and Fernando Alonso Cycling Team were rumored to be the most probable new destinations for the powerful Frenchman, it appears that Cofidis has to be added to this equation, as the Pro Continental team is also ready to meet his high expectations.

“I have at least three of four teams ready to sign me,” Bouhanni confirmed.

“I have two requirements, sports and financial. On a sports ground, I want to ride grand tours and I want to fight for a victories in some of spring classics like Gent-Wavelgem, Kuurne, Hamburg, Plouay or Milano-Sanremo,” said Bouhanni, without giving more specific insight on his financial requirements.

“We will listen to everyone… and everyone will be heard,” said Nacer’s father, Karim Bouhanni, “We have a month to make a final decision”

As it was suggested by French media, despite being a Pro Continental squad, Cofidis is able to provide Bouhanni with a possibility of riding the Tour de France as the team is regularly invited to participate in the event by ASO, as well as to appear in at least some of cobbled classics, which were the most important requirements of Bouhanni in regards to his purely sports ambitions.  

In exchange, the arrival of the 23-year old sprinter would mark a return to the spotlight for the Pro Continental squad, where he would certainly enjoy the status of team’s biggest star and huge freedom unless the revival of talented Rein Taaramae continues.

“It’s a golden opportunity to regain some distinctness for a team which is currently struggling,” L’Equipe suggested.

Those issues have initially ignited a discussion about the rivalry between Bouhanni and Demare as well as about his will to leave the FDJ, after the French squad chose the younger sprinter for the Milano-Sanremo and consequently favoured him over the 23-year old throughout the whole cobbled classics season.

Bouhanni, enraged by missing first of his season’s biggest objectives was hopeful of leading the sprints for FDJ at the Tour de France, but once again everything suggests that it will be the younger Frenchman to clash with Marcel Kittel (Giant-Shimano) and Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) on a home soil. Both sprinters made the FDJ pro-selection for the French three-week event, however, only Demare’s lead-out men were included on the list which undoubtedly suggests that the train would be build around the 22-year old.

Still, the FDJ manager Marc Madiot was skeptical about an influence of Tour de France selection on Bouhanni’s decision in regards to choosing team for upcoming seasons and expressed confidence, that the French squad still would be the first choice of the 23-year old.

“I didn’t have similar feeling. I think he wants to stay here,” Marc Madiot told L’Equipe.