Jan Bakelants criticises INEOS tactics at the Giro d'Italia, calls them "extra teammates" of Remco Evenepoel

In the early stages of the Giro d'Italia, many have questioned whether the Soudal - Quick-Step team is good enough to support the Maglia Rosa hopes of Remco Evenepoel. However, Jan Bakelants doesn't believe there is cause for concern as he calls the INEOS Grenadiers Evenepoel's "extra teammates".

“I am currently particularly disappointed in the entrepreneurial spirit of the other teams," the ex-pro laments on the Wielerclub Wattage podcast. “It bothers me that the guys from INEOS Grenadiers are exactly extra teammates for Evenepoel. That's great for him, but it's negative for the viewer. I dislike their way of working. They have so much human capital, but they use it very poorly."

So far in the race, the biggest threat to Evenepoel's hopes of overall victory has been a rogue stray dog. Bakelants believes INEOS in particular could be doing more to put the pressure on the Soudal - Quick-Step team even though the race is still in its early stages. "They are strong in width and they need to get returns by sending riders into the attack early," he explains. "But the five of them stay together. I think it's a strange tactic."

“We showed how strong we are, but we are not going to do it like that the whole race," INEOS Grenadiers' very own Geraint Thomas recently explained on his own podcast Watts Occurring. "We will not continue to help Remco in this way, because people will have questioned our tactics.”