Quick-Step Floors boss Patrick Lefevere says the future of young star sprinter Fernando Gaviria remains unclear.
The Colombian was rumoured to be leaving the team to reduce the budget as Lefevere continued the search for a new sponsor.
But three days after the news that Gaviria could move on surfaced, Quick-Step announced a new title sponsor would be coming on board in a multi-year deal.
But Lefevere has told Belgium newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws that the new sponsorship has not secured Gaviria’s place on the team.
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He said: “There is no clarity at the moment.
“The fact that we only got our sponsorship very late was annoying in that sense.”
Gaviria picked up nine of Quick-Step's 71 race wins this season, but was forced to end his season a few days early after breaking his collarbone on the opening stage of the Tour of Turkey.
Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport reported earlier this month that “almost everything was done” for the transfer of the Colombian sprinter to UAE Team Emirates for 2019.
Gavaria’s salary is believed to be around the €2million mark, while the team runs on an estimated €18million annually.
Lefevere added: “Suppose we lose Fernando, we still have Viviani. And it is up to our young talents to show themselves.”
The Belgian window profile manufacturer Deceuninck will be joining the team sponsorship from next season as the team will be known as Deceuninck-Quick-Step.
A multi-year deal has been signed between the two parties after a concerted effort to find more backers by Quick-Step boss Patrick Lefevere.
Deceuninck, which was founded in 1937 and is based in Belgium, will have its logo prominently displayed on the jersey, according to the team.
The 2018 Quick-Step roster also includes star riders Niki Terpstra, Philippe Gilbert, Julian Alaphilippe, Bob Jungles and Yves Lampaert.
Terpstra, winner of this year’s Tour of Flanders, is leaving after eight years to join Direct Energie in 2019.
Lefevere has been forced to let go others in the past too, like Marcel Kittel and Dan Martin, to keep costs down.
