With MTN-Qhubeka team manager Doug Ryder currently speaking to new sponsors for the team, manager Brian Smith hopes that the team can secure enough funds to sign Mark Cavendish and a few of his leadout men.

"We simply don't have the money. I told them to go out and find another sponsor, we're open to another naming rights sponsor," MTN-Qhubeka team manager Brian Smith told Cyclingnews. "I like Mark and I think Mark, like Tyler and other guys, can ride differently. Mark maybe isn't the fastest guy any more with these new guys coming through. I'd like to try and reinvent him and look at different ways. Who is coming with him I don't know, do we have the money I don't know.”

Smith also thinks Cavendish would benefit the team and their charity sponsor Qhubeka, as he always has a large PR following, which would help raise more awareness about the charity.

"He's a great ambassador and Qhubeka would love him. He will open the door to more PR and bigger PR, more respect in the peloton. There's a lot of things that we can get from him. I don't think anyone in the team has to worry about their place in the team. Is it a win-win situation? I think it is."

Smith says they are looking to expand the team to 26 riders from the 22 currently on the South African squad.

"If part of the deal is to bring these riders on then we need to discuss it. It's exciting times and I think that we're going to have enough budget to have the same amount of riders. If Cav and co come to the team then it could be 26 riders," said Smith.

Smith says the team wouldn’t focus solely on Cavendish, and that their main goal is still to develop the best African talent. But they do want to sign some more riders. Cavendish teammate Mark Renshaw and Sky’s Bernhard Eisel, who used to leadout Cavendish, are being touted as arriving to help the Manxman. After losing Louis Meintjes for mountain riders, Sky’s Mikel Nieve may arrive, although if Cavendish signs he is likely to be out the team’s budget. The winner of the KOM jersey in the Vuelta, Omar Fraile (Caja-Rural), has also been linked to the team.

"First and foremost we want to develop the African talent," said Smith. "We don't want to take on riders just because of who they are on the bike, it's about who they are as individuals. If someone comes to our team they have to fit into our culture. They have to speak English and be a nice guy, be willing to do some PR stuff that is all important for us. There are a bunch of climbers I'd like to consider but the net's closing because they have to sign and if we haven't offered any contracts to anyone then we have to wait until next week until our budget is confirmed and then we will see what is left. It's not going to be the same as last year. I still think there are two or three good signings left out there that haven't been signed by WorldTour teams."