We remember Ghent-Wevelgem 2020 and a first-class funeral between Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel in the final, in favor of Mads Pedersen. However, since then, the two men seem to be rolling against each other less and tensions have been ironed out. At Sanremo, Wout van Aert even regretted that “Mathieu van der Poel and I were the only ones aiming for victory, the others were riding for the podium”.
This Sunday, in Paris-Roubaix, the Dutchman lacked strength in the final. He used one of his only cartridges to counter an attack by Wout van Aert, with Stefan Küng in his wheel. But it looked more like a burly explanation than a first-class funeral like Ghent-Wevelgem 2020.
However, there seems to be resentment behind the scenes. In particular on the side of Alpecin-Fenix, where the sports director Christoph Roodhooft attacked his counterpart of the Jumbo-Visma Richard Plugge, this Sunday evening. Especially concerning the first part of the race and the curb episode. “Why would Van Aert come to Roubaix in a team role? Obviously he was there for a result, you can’t field a runner of this caliber if he is not on top, “says the boss. by van der Poel. What he wants to prove: that the Jumbo acted with van Aert exactly as his own team had done with van der Poel in Milan-Sanremo.
At the time, Alpecin had been criticized for not working at the front of the peloton behind the morning breakaway at La Primavera. Plugge went there with his little punchline after the finish: “I sometimes wonder if they (Alpecin, Editor’s note) are there to win or just to ride.” A barely disguised reproach which remained across Roodhooft’s throat: “Plugge is a specialist in letting go of such nonsense”, he let go of our colleagues from the Latest news.
For the boss of Alpecin-Fenix, the situation has since been reversed: “Who took charge of the race at the Amstel? Here too, we were the first to ensure the pursuit in the second peloton. Should I That’s why we’re crying foul? We’re not playing hide and seek. When we say something, it’s fair. After all, everyone sees the race as they want, I have nothing to say about the philosophy of Jumbo -Visma.”
A somewhat disjointed rant. But a rant nonetheless.