“I was very surprised that he attacked” - Controversy brews at UAE Team Emirates - XRG after Jan Christen’s surprise attack at Tour de Suisse

Stage 2 of the 2025 Tour de Suisse delivered more than just racing drama, it exposed internal tensions within UAE Team Emirates - XRG after Jan Christen launched an unexpected attack just 2.7 kilometres from the finish. While the move was exciting for viewers, it did not lead to victory, and has instead drawn sharp criticism from within his own team.

"I was very surprised that he attacked,” said Danish teammate Mikkel Bjerg, speaking to TV 2 Sport. The former U23 time trial world champion did not hold back. “It’s good to see he’s got good legs. It’s a shame he still doesn’t understand how to help the rest of the team, but that’s how it is.”  

Bjerg’s frustration sparked immediate debate among TV 2 pundits, with former pro Lars Bak calling the situation “a big mess.” Bak added that Christen’s questionable decision-making didn’t start with his late-stage move. “I know he crashed on Sunday, but he finished in the same group as João Almeida. It looks like he could have sacrificed more. But he clearly didn’t.”

Veteran Danish commentator Rolf Sørensen echoed the criticism, placing blame not on Christen but on Bjerg himself: “It’s a big mess on Bjerg’s part.”

The team’s cohesion had already come into question after Stage 1, when Christen and his teammates were unable to respond as a 28-man breakaway, including key GC names like Ben O’Connor, Kévin Vauquelin and Lorenzo Fortunato, gained decisive time. Romain Grégoire took the win, and the general classification was left badly scattered.

Christen’s attack on Stage 2, then, didn’t just go against team expectations, it exposed the fragile dynamics within UAE’s second-tier squad at a WorldTour race, where stakes and scrutiny are high.

The timing of the controversy is made even more complicated by Christen’s personal situation. Before the second stage, the young Swiss rider gave a raw and emotional interview to Blick, admitting he was still psychologically shaken after crashing on Stage 1. “I’m morally destroyed,” he confessed.

According to fellow Swiss rider Silvan Dillier, Christen even considered abandoning the race after the incident. Dillier persuaded him to stay, but during Stage 2, Christen was still visibly suffering, requiring treatment from the medical car mid-stage.

Everything pointed to a subdued day in the saddle. Instead, Christen defied expectations with a late attack, earning no result but stirring plenty of internal discontent. This is not what Joao Almeida needs if he is to recover time and win this race.