Alongside Chris Horner and Luis Leon Sanchez, Samuel Sanchez is the biggest name on the market but the Spaniard still hasn't found a team for the coming season. Denying earlier rumours that he would sign for the Sky Dive team from Dubai, Sanchez claims to have no offers or any ongoing negotiations.

When the demise of the Euskaltel team became reality, it was immediately clear that many of the team's riders would probably have difficulty finding a new home for the 2014 season but few would have expected the team's major star to face any problems. In the middle of November, former Olympic champion Samuel Sanchez is, however, still without a team for the coming season and may now face a premature end to his career.

Contacted by Biciciclismo, the multiple grand tour podium finisher revealed that he has no contact with any team at the moment. In principle, he will remain an Euskaltel rider until 2015 as he has a contract for the coming two years but as the team will fold, it won't allow him to continue his career

"Today my situation is that I am an Euskaltel rider for the next two seasons until I am told otherwise," he told the Spanish website. "I have no offers or negotiations with any team. My desire is to continue as a rider but the reality is different".

Sanchez has been part of the Euskaltel team since turning professional in 2001 and has chosen to stay loyal to the Basques despite receiving several lucrative offers from other teams. However, he is now highly critical of the way his team handled its uncertain future.

"I'm sad and disappointed," he said. "I find myself in a situation that neither I nor anyone in the team would have imagined when we were presented a four-year project. It's a situation that makes me unable to continue to ride in the professional peloton in the coming years because of poor management.

"Euskaltel should have communicated before they knew the team was going to fold, or at least they should have done it differently since I knew I wasn't going to leave," he added. "Then we would have had the possibility to consider whether it was time to start searching for a new team and it would have given me more freedom."

In September, Sanchez appeared to have his future secured when it emerged that Fernando Alonso was set to take over Euskaltel's license and its existing contracts. However, the negotiations broke down and the F1 driver has now postponed his project until 2015.

"When we were told that Fernando would buy the team, everyone took for granted that the team would continue," he said. "Other teams finalized their rosters and their team of leaders and we thought that we had our futures secured. Many have told me that if just they had known it a bit earlier..."

Sanchez is Alonso's close fried but many have suggested that he could take a year off to join forces with the F1 driver in 2015. However, Sanchez refuses to be drawn into that discussion.

"For now, I don't look that far into the future," he said. "We first have to end 2013 and let 2014 pass. It is a long process and I don't think about it. I see it as a distant future. I prefer to focus on 2014 and I don't plan anything beyond that."

Earlier this week it emerged that Sanchez was close to signing a deal with the new Dubai team Sky Dive. On a holiday, Sanchez had discussed the project with the president of the federation of the United Arab Emirates but he denies all speculation that he will ride for the team in 2014.

"First I traveled to Japan with Igor Anton for a series of promotion events with Orbea," he said. "And then I went to Dubai for a holiday. It was just a coincidence. A friend knew the president of the federation and one day he invited me to dinner and another day to his farm in the desert. We shared our experiences and discussed the Sky Dive team where [Francisco] Mancebo will ride. They even hope to become a WorldTour team. They have the means to do something big and have a great infrastructure. I liked it

"We didn't talk about my sporting situation, whether I was going to ride or not, but it could be an option when I end my career, to help them develop their cycling team."

Sanchez had a disappointing 2013 season but still managed to win a stage in the Criterium du Dauphiné and finish 8th in the Vuelta. He is adamant that he is still able to win important bike races.

"I want to continue my career," he said. "The contract I signed with Euskaltel until 2015, proves this.

"For me, it would be a drama [to stop my career] because I still have the legs and my head is intact," he said. "It is true that I didn't have the victories in 2013 like I had in other years but I am always able perform at a high level."

Wanty remains an option

Sanchez has been linked with a move to the new Wanty team but yesterday it emerged that the Belgians had finalized their roster when they announced the signings of Mirko Selvaggi and Kevin Seeldraeyers. However, manager Hilaire van der Schueren opens a door for the Spaniard.

"You can have up to 25 riders in a team," he told Sporza. "We will probably have 22 or 23."

Confirming that the parties have remained in contact, he have a different take on the situation than Sanchez.

"We had contact yesterday," he said. "He will have to choose between us and an American pro continental team.

"He must solve his situation with Euskaltel," he added. "Until then, we cannot talk about his arrival. He would be a great trump card. He has a good time trial and can go for the GC. That would open a door for us to ride a grand tour."

Van der Schueren's suggestion that Sanchez may ride for a pro continental team opens the door that the Spaniard could ride for either UnitedHealthCare or Novo Nordisk. The former team has, however, confirmed to Cyclingnews that their roster is "complete and final" while the latter squad is only made up of riders suffering from type 1 diabetes.

Hence, Sanchez' future career is still completely up in the air, with Wanty appearing to be his best option. And with the month of December approaching, time is running out for the former Olympic champion.