Even though the first road events of 2014 came to an end, the former Euskaltel-Euskadi leader Samuel Sanchez still struggles to find the outfit to sport in the new season. The Basque rider do not throw his towel yet, as he is eager to continue his career as a professional cyclist, having 14 seasons of competing under his belt, but same time he remains aware that next to weeks will be crucial for his future in the discipline.

Sanchez will turn 36 on February 5th, but still finds himself as a competitive cyclist and thus he lives on the hope that the lifeline will be thrown to him eventually, as he keeps on training and stays very reluctant to hang off the bike.

"These are crucial 10-15 days and hopefully something will come out as soon as possible. Waiting any longer would be simply fooling myself,” Sanchez told in the interview for Radio Euskadi

“From a legal point of view I’m unemployed, but it stays in the opposition to what I feel about this situation. I’m a cyclist, I keep living a life of a professional cyclist, but I haven’t find the jersey to ride in yet. It’s a complicated situation.”

Sanchez is perfectly aware of the situation he found himself in, of the clock ticking louder and louder as January passes by, and knows that the time of making big decisions is to arrive very soon.

“I cannot extend this period any longer. It would be a time to say goodbye unless I found a new team in 10 to 15 days. I’m still hoping I won’t be forced to hang off a bike and I’ll continue racing. Those 10-15 days are crucial and hopefully some opportunity will arrive as soon as possible,” Sanchez confirms

“I tried to open many doors, but mostly I met no interest or received other explanations of a similar meaning. The hardest part is to call and receive no answer, from my point of view it’s a lack of education which would not occur in a everyday life. I prefer to hear simple “no”, period. The lack of answer has hurt me more.”

Nevertheless, the former Olympic champion keeps on training as he still holds on to hope.

“I would train a lot in February if I were a professional cyclist. So, if I kept on training it was only because I’ve always had that little hope. I think I shouldn’t lose it and continue to receive all final “noes”. If anything came, it would happen next 10-15 days, because once the racing season in Europe kicks-off there is no hope left,” Sanchez explained in the Basque public radio.

Even though Sanchez seems to be very motivated to continue his career as a professional cyclist, he emphasizes that he won’t accept any offers which couldn’t match his quality and high aspirations.

“We all aspire to participate in the major races with the best possible team. That’s exactly what I aspire to. The two acceptable possibilities are a World Tour team of a Pro Continental team maintaining a World Tour structure. After making such cut there are not many teams left. I don’t like to point out to any names until a deal is done, because it was assumed that I signed with Saxo-Tinkoff and in the end I failed to do so.”

Basque rider rules out spending one year off the bike to return in 2015, as it seems pointless for him to train and keep himself fit whole year without having any guarantee to become employed for the next season.

“I would rather quit and call it a career,” Sanchez ended.