Fernando Alonso's cycling team will not happen in 2015
Formula One star Fernando Alonso confirms that his cycling team is once again on hold
Formula One Champion Fernando Alonso's dream of a cycling team for 2015 failed to come true "due to a number of circumstances" but the Spaniard continues keeps hope for the coming years.
"Certainly my intention and my wish this past year was to create a professional team, but there have been a number of circumstances," the Ferrari driver told EFE news agency while in Mexico City.
"I think that both sports, cycling and formula one, bind well, and it's something I want to do in the future."
The two-time world champion's attempts have failed so far. He planned to create a team for 2014 out of team Euskaltel, but switched paths to start a team from scratch for 2015. Throughout this spring, his plans appeared on track with sponsorship coming from the UAE and a deal with NOVO Group Holdings with the team in mind.
Top cyclists like Peter Sagan were rumoured to be signing and former professional and two-time world champion, Paolo Bettini said that he would manage the team.
Team Alonso appeared stalled, however, when the hot transfer season of July passed without news of contracts with riders. The confirmation came on October 7, when Spain's AS newspaper reported that Alonso did not ask cycling's governing body, the UCI, for a 2015 licence.
"[The people at NOVO] clearly have another vision," Alonso added. "We'll see other projects in the short term, but that doesn't mean a team."
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Alonso did not say if he plans to create a team for 2016 or for another year. He repeated that the idea of coupling F1 and cycling remains on his mind.
"There are things in cycling that F1 misses, like the sacrifice and team-work and things Formula 1 has that cycling doesn't, particularly technology. Bicycles are limited by the rules and have not developed technology,” he continued.
"I love cycling. I ride daily, going over 100 kilometres every day. But it's one thing is to train quietly at an 'amateur' level and another thing to do it professionally. They are true athletes. I'm happy to be in F1."
He will finish the F1 season in Brazil and Abu Dhabi. For 2015, Alonso is rumoured to be driving for McLaren.
More on Fernando Alonso's cycling team project
Fernando Alonso fails to register his cycling team
Existence of Formula One star Fernando Alonso's cycling team falters again as he fails to register with the UCI
Fernando Alonso's cycling team taking shape
Formula One driver Fernando Alonso's team takes leap forward as deal with sport investment managers is signed
Fernando Alonso's cycling team may not be WorldTour level
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Gregor Brown is an experienced cycling journalist, based in Florence, Italy. He has covered races all over the world for over a decade - following the Giro, Tour de France, and every major race since 2006. His love of cycling began with freestyle and BMX, before the 1998 Tour de France led him to a deep appreciation of the road racing season.
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