"it doesn't mean Lenny is a cheater" - Guilty Bahrain DS explains Col du Glandon 'bidon gate'
Cycling
A sticky bottle is something riders in pro cycling use to their advantage, but rarely in the way that Lenny Martínez did during stage 18 to help him gain KOM points. The absurd support he got from the team car didn't see true consequences and also led to a lot of criticism of his actions on social media and the peloton.
This happened on the first climb of the day, the Col du Glandon, after he had been dropped from the breakaway. With his KOM jersey hanging by a thread - he eventually lost it at the end of the stage to Tadej Pogacar - he asked for food and drinks from the team car. Three times.
This was also fully shown on the live TV broadcast and there was truly no way to hide from the negative commentary. He scored 20 points at the top of the climb after being able to regain contact with the group, however he was only penalized 8 at the end of the day - a positive net worth for the Frenchman's controversial actions.
But DS Roman Kreuziger was naturally also fined at the end of the day, and this morning he was asked about the incident. "I apologized and explained everything to the commissaires. There was some miscommunication between Lenny and me,. French and English, you know," Kreuziger said in an interview with Sporza. "It wasn't pretty, but it doesn't mean Lenny is a cheater or that he did anything wrong.
TV2 pundit Christian Moberg said that "I think it was over the line" and Visma boss Richard Plugge himself was also very harsh on the Frenchman and the UCI's lack of true consequences for the youngster: “Even if you’re struggling just to stay in the race, it’s not allowed. But here it had a clear impact on the classification.”
Within Bahrain as well it's clear that not everyone was on the same page, and that Kreuziger didn't push for Martínez' actions. Rather, it was a choice from the Frenchman. "But Lenny is still young and has a lot to learn. He came to our car on a part of the climb where it wasn't necessary," the former pro added. "It was the easiest part. Because after that, he showed that he's punchy enough. We're trying to turn the negativity around today."
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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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