Wednesday 8 August 2018 18:31, UK
New Polish team CCC WorldTour have launched a bid to tempt Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas away from Team Sky for 2019.
Wales' first Tour de France winner is yet to renew terms on his expiring contract, though Team Sky boss Sir Dave Brailsford is keen to keep the 32-year-old.
Polish team CCC Sprandi Polkowice will merge with BMC Racing for 2019 to create CCC World Tour, with sports director Piotr Wadecki revealing the new set-up's intentions to build their Tour de France team around Thomas.
"I can confirm we have made an offer to him and we are waiting for a reply," Wadecki told website Przeglad Sportowy of Thomas.
"I think that this will be explained during the Tour de Pologne.
"We already have one of the best in the world for classic races, that is Greg Van Avermaet, but our sponsor has the ambition to compete in the general classification at grand tours.
"Geraint's contract ends with Sky (at the end of 2018) and his position as the team leader is not certain.
"He won the Tour de France, but will he be number one? There's Chris Froome who will want to win. With us, Geraint would already know in January that his goal is the Tour de France and we would definitely focus on him."
