"I don't really feel welcome in cycling" - Jan-Willem van Schip reacts brutally to Tour of Hellas disqualification
Cycling
The Tour of Hellas is currently ongoing in Greece but the remains has had the spotlight pointed on it for unexpected reasons. Dutch rider Jan-Willem van Schip was disqualified, once again, due to his extreme position on the bike. The Dutch rider took to social media right after in the heat of the moment to share his anger with the situation.
Van Schip is no stranger to such situation, most notably having been disqualified from last year's Tour of Holland. It has happened on more than one occasion however, either due to his handlebars or due to his seatpost. The Azerion / Villa Valkenburg rider is a track specialist and 1t 1.94 meters in height, his extreme positions on the bike are some of the most notable.
Before the UCI rules on minimum handlebar width, van Schip was constantly pushing the boundaries on what was possible to compete in road cycling, with the purpose of being as aerodynamical as possible. He has used his ability to stay aero and have the raw power to take several wins in the past, even if in recent years the road is more of a secondary goal when comparing to the track.
However, his multiple encounters with the UCI seem to have put in on a figurative 'blacklist'. Resting his wrists on the handlebars is reported as being the reason for his disqualification, something the UCI has forbidden in order to improve safety in the sport - as was the case with the infamous sitting on the top tube position.
"Not normal, I've been disqualified again. Everyone does that and I actually always hold my shifter fully. How do you measure this anyway," van Schip said in an Instagram video shared shortly after the start of stage 2 in Greece. The disqualification was made all the more absurd, in his point of view, as he raced with the same bike only days prior to second place in a Dutch race.
Inconsistent application of UCI rules
"How can it be that I'm allowed to race the Ronde van Overijssel with this, while all the other riders in the front group are allowed to just rest their arms on the handlebars, and not me?" The Dutchman's criticism speaks to the issue of UCI rules being inconsistently applied, something which has for years been a target of much discussion on social media and the peloton itself.
Van Schip was disqualified from yet another race after the first stage in which he spent time on the attack, and lashed out at what he sees as a potential 'witch hunt'. "Its very painful. It's really not fun. The bike is completely legal, the seatpost is fine, but they still found a way to screw us over. It hurts a lot".
"I don't really feel welcome in cycling [...] What a shitty sport," he concluded.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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