Cyclingnews says so, as well as Cycling Weekly on twitter. Nothing from himself at this point, as far as I know, but the team have a statement on their site.

World champion Cadel Evans has decided to invoke the clause of the mutual agreement which provides him the possibility to ride the next seasons on behalf of another team. After five successful years, including two podium places in the Tour de France and the recent victory in Mendrisio, Cadel has decided to take advantage of his increased market value and to look for new challenges.

Silence-Lotto is proud of the progress Cadel made in our team - from a rough time to the absolute world top in five years time, also thanks to the professional entourage and the good teamwork - and wishes him all the best for his further career. Success in your beautiful rainbow jersey !

 

Since they're moving into Castilla-La Mancha, we need to decide which rider who is most likely to name his bike Rocinante. My first thought was Roberto Laiseka, if it was one rider who looked rueful while on the bike, it was him. But on the other hand, Laiseka doesn't strike me as much of an underachiever. Not as someone who tilted at windmills either. Of course, he's not from La Mancha but I planned to ignore that anyway (not that many riders to choose from otherwise, I'm afraid). And maybe we should pick someone who is in the peloton at the moment.

I came up with two Don Quixotes:

1. Cadel Evans. When was the last time you said to yourself "Cadel Evans, that's a guy that makes me happy." The poor bloke is having a difficult time even making his own dog happy (I heard rumours from Katiek that Molly had signed with Team Sky, it's a developing story presumably), and even the most happy-go-lucky among us gets gothy when Cadel appears.

When it comes to results, he's often close but rarely on the top spot of the podium. We hear questions like "is this Cadel's year?", but it's never Cadel's year. Unless one counts the odd stage win and races like Coppi e Bartali and Tour of Austria. That makes him even more like the real Don Quixote, he too had some small and irrelevant successes.

Cadel Evans is also known for his occasional tilting at various windmills. The latest victim was our tall friend from Rabobank, Robert Gesink. To no ones surprise, Gesink rides a Giant, after all.

2. Leif Hoste. Not much to be said here, I think. Not the happiest person in the peloton. He's mentioned a lot during cobble season, but not because he's winning. Rather the opposite, more often is he the first among the losers than the winner. When he wins it is the Belgian TT championships, or at Driedaagse De Panne. But most of all we mention him when he waves his arms at the other riders.

So there you have them, my Don Quixotes of the peloton. Two riders from Silence-Lotto, seems to be very fitting.