"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

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.”