"It's ridiculous... If Tadej Pogacar said that, everyone would tell him not to make a fuss" - Demi Vollering blasted after post-Omloop comments on rivals
Cycling
The fallout from Opening Weekend's incredible Omloop Het Nieuwsblad WE continues to dominate the headlines in the women's cycling world. A stalemate between the teams of the main favourites allowed the breakaway to enter the final 20km with an 8 minute lead, with Lotte Claes eventually taking the first victory of her career.
Post-race, FDJ - Suez leader Demi Vollering, who came home in 3rd, over three minutes down on Claes, was scathing in her assessment of the chase, but insisted that the blame primarily fell on the shoulders of her former teammates at Team SD Worx - Protime. “I asked them if they didn’t want to ride. They said: ‘No, we’re not allowed to, from the car.’ I think they were also annoyed that they weren’t allowed to ride. But that’s just the way it is, isn’t it? I think that everyone is too afraid to put their hands in the fire too early at the beginning of the season. And that they are afraid that they will have to ride first for the rest of the season. Then it’s sometimes a gamble. Whoever guesses best, wins. Or you don’t win. None of us won today,” Vollering explained.
As it turns out though, those comments haven't gone down too well with some experts within the sport. Notably, Michel Wuyts, on the Wuyts & Vlaeminck podcast, did not mince his words when reflecting on Vollering's post-race review. “They were the strongest team. On the Muur, Lorena Wiebes was outpaced by her 'clicking and clicking'. Because of the dominance, the race is put in the hands of FDJ, but they simply don't want to participate in that in the French camp,” blasts the experienced Belgian cycling expert. “It is ridiculous that she says it wasn’t her team’s fault. She is number one in the world together with Lotte Kopecky. If Tadej Pogacar said that, everyone would tell him not to make a fuss.”
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Lotte Claes STUNS the field to claim her first pro win and the Omloop Nieuwsblad title with a huge ride from the early breakaway!
— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) March 1, 2025
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More like : If Tadej Pogacar said that, everyone would take notice! Stop picking on Demi. Have you got a problem with women who speak up?
If you're a #1 favourite you kind of have to act like it. Since you have the most to lose if the break wins, you should put someone to pace. Even if you don't, they will be dropped at the first real acceleration on the bergs anyway
Don’t say she was right but I prefer people who speak their mind and don’t fake, gender plays no role, character is what matters and is distinctly lacking in many places. After, we can discuss whatever is good and bad but there has be something to start with for that :-)
I do have a problem with a constant drama queen, always whining after each and every race, and often faking attitudes and emotions. It has nothing to do with women speaking. Your comment is irrelevant. She is only trying to talk crap about her former team at every possible occasion.
She questioned strategy, not moaning, she accepted that’s how it goes sometimes and also suggested her ex-team riders were also dissatisfied with orders. There’s more moaning in the comments than coming from her here. As for her reputation, well maybe the media decide that more than she does, the title and fuss over what she said is way more critical and moany than her comments.
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- When Vingo, Rogla, and Wout were all at the height of their powers, a sight to behold.mobk08-04-2025
- To quote the article: riders from Arkéa - B&B Hotels and a few others seized the moment to launch an attack, increasing the pace as Pogacar was briefly off the bike. Not coolmij08-04-2025
- I don’t think it was a matter of easing up. I think it was a matter of attacking. And MVDP said his team would respect similar situations. Perhaps not on the penultimate climb, but I believe they would. To accelerate is a jerk move.mij08-04-2025
- His basic attitude always has been (and we know age often reinforces inherent values), if I’m going down I’m going to try taking you with me.Mistermaumau08-04-2025
- I know it’s tradition and nice but to make the discussion more interesting, if an Arkea rider had driven up to tell Alpecin or UAE to ease off for Mozzato or Vauquelin having a P, would they have been as gentlemanly?Mistermaumau08-04-2025
- That’s probably about right although if they’d talked it over it would have been in all their interests to work together to chase Pog down because those 4 arriving at the finish in that scenario would have left all 4 with a chance of victory.Mistermaumau08-04-2025
- Exactly, that easily makes for a minute at the front. You don’t see Pog cracking often either (less often than MVDP even) but when he does it’s lights out and over too. This is completely normal and to be expected, at the level of competitiveness all these guys are they only crack once they’ve pushed beyond their manageable limit and there’s no coming back from that. When your rival forces you into the red to keep or catch up, it’s over, in that respect, well done to WVA who seems to be world champion in staying just outside the red for as long as he can.Mistermaumau08-04-2025
- If I remember well, Pidcock slowed, whether out of respect or strategically or just happy he could ease off a bit, only he knows. Your point?Mistermaumau08-04-2025
- I believe Mathieu rather gets beaten by a stronger rider than one who raced smarter. That is why he wanted to team up with Pogacar to drop the JV riders and Mads who were not helping in the chase of the first group since they had a teammate up front.JoostMehrtens08-04-2025
- Just shows that LA is not truly repentant. JUSTICE was served. No winner, no second , no third on the podium for those 7 years. No real winners could be determined, ever. Lance got to keep most of his money , he really should can it . He is toxic to cycling.dave08-04-2025