After setting the end of the Giro as his deadline for finding a new sponsor, Tinkoff Team CEO Stefano Feltrin has told Cyclingnews he is no closer than he was pre-Giro to finding someone to replace Oleg Tinkov.

"Unfortunately there's not a real update as we've not been able to secure anything," Feltrin told Cyclingnews. "The Giro date was the goal and that's where we are but things are still open. The team is fully funded until the end of the year but I'm an optimist and would give us a 50 per cent chance.”

Feltrin is puzzled about why he cant find a sponsor, with his team winning the Tour of Flanders and Tour of the Basque Countr this year, as well as being top of the UCI team ranking and having Peter Sagan and Albeto Contador I positions one and three in the individual rider ranking.

"Maybe I'm a bad manager but we're the number one team and we've been top of the rankings for two months with the number one rider and yet we can't secure a title sponsor. That tells you a lot. It's a defeat for cycling."

Feltrin also says that part of the reason why he cant find a new sponsor is due to the UCI. Lots of people are keen to find out what the UCI’s 2017 reforms will be, but with them continuing to not shed any light on what impact the reforms will have, sponsors are not keen to invest just now.

"At this point it’s late in the season and really questions should be asked of the UCI as to what’s happening in 2017," he said. "I think a lot really depends on the UCI and how quickly the plans for 2017 are made clear. We don't even know what budget to work with and what we can guarantee. As long as race organisers, the UCI and the teams fight, it's not going to happen.”