CCC team leader Greg Van Avermaat says he is not talking to any other teams, despite the team's threatened survival due to the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, the Belgian says he is focused on getting through this season and making sure the team's main sponsor can support the team in 2021.

Because of the coronavirus crisis, players on the Polish World Tour team, like many other teams, have already taken pay cuts and some of the team's staff have been fired. Last week, the players reportedly asked for further pay cuts, but the team admitted to Cycling News that negotiations between the players and team management are still ongoing.

Meanwhile, the Italian website Spazio Ciclismo quoted CCC rider Fausto Masnada as saying last week: "It is not a positive situation. We riders got together with our lawyers and proposed to the team to meet us halfway."

The main sponsor, CCC's chain of shoe stores, was closed during the pandemic, and the Polish financial website Bankier reported that part of the plan to close the books included "the closure of activities related to sports sponsorships signed for 2020-2021."

However, the company has not announced the closure of its sports sponsorships.

However, it is believed that the CCC footwear store could reopen this week, which would provide a lifeline for both the company and possibly the CCC men's team and the CCC-Liv women's team.

"It is important for us to be strong together," Van Avermaet said in a video interview with HLN.be and VTM Nieuws on Friday. 'This situation is very difficult for our staff who lost their jobs. But they can still come back. I hope that if we race again, those people will be employed again. I have worked with many of them for 10 years. I hope we can continue that."

"We talk a lot about the situation," said the 34-year-old. 'Hopefully there is a solution. The Polish store will open again next week and maybe sponsors can help keep supporting the team."

On the possibility of further wage cuts, Van Avermaet said: "We are working on it. But we are not going to reveal percentages to the press. The goal is to survive this season and next season. That is our mindset. Of course, it's not ideal. Of course it's not ideal, though."

Asked if he was talking to other teams, van Avermaet ruled out the possibility of a move.

"It's quiet right now. A lot of other teams are having to take salary cuts. 'First we'll see what happens to us, then we'll decide. In any case, my concern is for the team, for survival. That is the most important thing.

Juan Avermaat was also asked to comment on the importance of the Tour de France being held again this year. Race organizer ASO and the sport's governing body, the UCI, have proposed August 29 to September 20 as the new dates for this year's Tour. With the coronavirus crisis still continuing in Europe, many argue that these dates are too early, but there is an option to run the race without fans along the roadside.

"For me, it is certainly possible without fans," Van Avermaat said. 'Under normal circumstances the supporters are very important, they give us strength, they create an atmosphere.'

"But this is not a normal situation. It is better to be able to watch the race on TV without fans along the way than not to be able to race at all."