Monfort in talks with Trek and Lotto

Maxime Monfort, currently riding for RadioShack-Nissan, has confirmed he is in talks with Trek (the company taking over the RadioShack team next season) and Lotto-Belisol, the Belgian team currently hosting the likes of Greipel and Van Den Broeck. This is to the contrary of other earlier reports that suggested Monfort had already been squeezed out by Trek along with Andreas Kloden.

"I was surprised to read that. Even if, at this stage of the negotiations, I don't want to talk too much about the matter, I can still tell you that I clearly haven't been squeezed out at Trek." Monfort also poked fun at the fact he had been called a veteran by some reports, the Belgian is only currently 30. 

Monfort has been a consistent high finisher through the years, he can boast a sixth place at the 2011 Vuelta a Espana, and a fourteenth place at this year's Tour de France. He acknowledged that the association with Lotto-Belisol is not a sudden one, stating that he had been talking with the team for six years, and had long been a target of team boss Marc Sergeant. 

Whichever team he ends up signing for he will no doubt be a vital asset, proving he has not only the skills to be a gifted climbing domestique, but also to lead a team when required.