Monday, rest day, usual day for renewal and signing of cyclist contracts. Sunday, departure from Les Gets. Party around the Ineos bus. They celebrate two stage victories, they celebrate the Polish Kwiatkowski, a veteran and hard-working cyclist who from time to time, thanks to his great class, is pleased to add a jewel to his record, and they celebrate, above all, the epiphany on Saturday Carlos Rodríguez, a 22-year-old cyclist, a great hope since he was a youth who became champion in the descent of La Joux Plane, at the Morzine finish line. Coaches, directors, assistants, all at Ineos, and both Spaniards among them, know that the Almuñécar runner, four years old between them, those of his first development and growth, has reached an agreement with Eusebio Unzue to run in Movistar starting next season, but everyone also wants me to continue with them.
They say it out of affection, because of how much they love him and how much they like him, and they say it out of selfishness, because if the victory in Morzine is any confirmation, they are convinced that he is the rider who must guarantee strong leadership in the team . And they talk to each other and say that it might be possible for the broker to back down, find a solution, financial compensation, that will allow him to free himself and sign with them again. Their hearts and spirits quicken, and their hope, on Saturday afternoon, when the skipper of the Tour was seen appearing for the first time at the Ibis de Sallanches, the hotel where they will spend the long Alpine weekend. team, Dave Brailsford, who announces that he will be on the Tour for three days, another who wants the man from Granada to continue with them, one who never moves for no reason and who is more than evasive in a quick dialogue in the shadow of his bus:
Ask. What do you think of Carlos Rodríguez?
Answer. I like him above all because he is very intelligent, he will learn a lot. It’s the best, his ability to learn keeps him progressing. And due to his intelligence, he still has a lot of room for progression. It’s not just anybody. And he is very nice. Everyone likes him, they are all comfortable with him. He has a fantastic character. Very good mentality. He is very, very good, yes. And he is Spanish.
Q. Carlos has an agreement with Movistar, but it is heard that you want him to stay at Ineos, that you need him as a leader. Thomas retires, Egan remains a question mark… Is there a chance?
R. Carlos still has a valid contract with us. Now we only think about the race. Day to day. The mountain on Sunday, the time trial on Tuesday…
Q. But, do you want me to continue with Ineos?
R. We are going to concentrate on the race. We’ll think about the contracts later.
Q. You came on Saturday and you will leave on Tuesday… Monday, a rest day, is contract day, and Sallanches is half an hour from Italy, from the country of Carlos Rodríguez’s agent, Giuseppe Acquadro…
R. Yes, yes, normally the rest day is a day for renewals and transfers, we’ll see, we’ll see…
Q. So you’re leaving on Tuesday with a new contract with Carlos, right?
R. Hahaha, nice try, nice try.
Inside Movistar there is security from the outside – there are already signed papers – and internal restlessness. Some members of the team, recalling the history of their relations with manager Acquadro – a precedent, in 2019 the Brailsford Ineos paid compensation set by the TAS to Movistar to take over the Costa Rican Andrey Amador, another Acquadro cyclist, with a contract in force with the Unzue team–, they fear that, given their unlimited economic power, Ineos is willing to compensate Movistar with a dizzying figure, up to one million euros, to keep the sexitan jewel. For the cyclist, the economic gain and the convenience of not having to change habits or methods would be a plus; For the only Spanish team in the WorldTour, the loss of Carlos Rodríguez, a cyclist who has been pursued since he was a youth and who was denied by Acquadro, in another moment of bad relations, would be almost catastrophic. Spanish cycling will move in the coming years around Almuñécar and Juan Ayuso, and both would be in foreign teams.
To everyone who asks about his future, the cyclist answers the same thing: “Ask my manager. He’s the only one who can say anything.” To whom he asks, the Piedmontese agent, he answers almost as evasively: “There is a pre-contract signed with Movistar, but no contract. It is a probable but not definitive option. Ineos is still a possibility.”
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