Ivan Rovny and Nikolay Trussov may be riding in Team Saxo Bank colours in 2014. The two Russians are currently participating in the team's training camp in Gran Canaria which adds additional fuel to the speculation that Oleg Tinkoff will continue his association with the Danish team.
A few days ago, it emerged that Bruno Pires was participating in the Team Saxo Bank training camp in Gran Canaria which is likely to indicate that the Portuguese has renewed his contract despite his earlier claims that he would leave the team in 2014. Now another two riders who have no confirmed association with the Danish team, have been spotted at the camp.
Ivan Rovny and Nikolay Trussov are both mixing it up with the Saxo Bank riders on the Spanish island which could indicate that they have signed a contract with the team. So far there has been no official confirmation but it would be very unusual for them to attend the camp without having a contractual agreement with the Danish squad.
Rovny was once regarded as a highly talented climber who became junior world champion in 2005. He turned professional with Tinkoff Credits Systems in 2006 and rode there until he joined Katusha in 2009.
He rode in Radioshack colours in 2010 and 2011 but as his progress had stalled, he stepped down a level with Rusvelo in 2012. This year he has taken a further step down the ladder as he has been part of the continental Ceramica Flaminia team which is acting as a feeder squad for Team Saxo Bank.
His change appears to have done him good as he has had one of his best seasons ever in 2013. He has been a perennial contender in the hardest Italian one-day races and was second in the Giro della Toscana, third in the Giro dell'Appennino, fourth in the Tre Valli Varesine and GP Industria & Artigianato, fifth in the Coppa Agostoni and sixth in the Trofeo Matteotti.
Trusov first showed his talents on the track and was regarded as a future sprinter when he turned professional with Tinkoff Credit Systems in 2007. In 2009, he joined Katusha where he rode for three years, taking his biggest win on a stage of the Volta a Catalunya in his first year at the Russian team.
Like Rovny, he has seen his progress stall and he was also part of Rusvelo in 2012 before moving down to continental level in 2013. While riding for the Dutch Cycling Team De Rijke, he failed to make much of an impact but may still have earned himself a contract with the Danish team.
The likely addition of the two Russians adds further fuel to the speculation that Oleg Tinkov will maintain his association with the Danish team. The Russian businessman has been a co-sponsor in 2013 but the parties agreed to end their relationship for the coming season.
However, Tinkov has made it clear that he wants to become owner of a team and after his negotiations with Cannondale broke down, he was reported to have bought Team Saxo Bank which is still known as Team Saxo-Tinkoff, from Bjarne Riis. Both parties have denied the claim but yesterday Tinkov spokesman Stefano Feltrin told Velonation that the Russian is likely to make a decision about his future project in the first week of December. He refused to deny that Team Saxo Bank is one of the teams that he could potentially take over.
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