Picnic PostNL bombshell as investigation details culture of fear and distrust - "I also thought about hurting myself"
Cycling
WorldTour team Picnic PostNL have been rocked by a bombshell investigation that has seen former riders and staff open up on an atmosphere of fear, excessive control and distrust at the Dutch team.
NOS released the findings of an extensive investigation into the team's culture, particularly focusing on team boss Iwan Spekenbrink and sporting director Rudi Kemna. The investigation included dozens of confidential interviews with former riders and staff.
Former rider Martijn Tusveld is among the riders to speak out in the report. He rode with the team from 2018 to 2024 and described a conversation at the 2020 Giro d'Italia as a turning point in his career and his relationship with the team.
Expressing his opinion on the team's tactics on stage 18 of the race in an open conversation in the team bus with Rudi Kemna, Tusveld was later in the year told that he was contributing to a negative atmosphere in the team by management.
Martijn Tusveld's account of Picnic PostNL culture
He reports that his programme was dramatically reduced and his contract only extended due to unexpected departures, noting that the experience negatively impacted his mental health.
"I became afraid. I thought: I'll keep my mouth shut and just say yes to everything. And that's what I did for the rest of my years with this team," Tusveld told NOS.
In an email to Kemna, he detailed thoughts of self harm as he struggled with the situation in one of the report's most disturbing accounts.
He added: "I also thought about hurting myself."
Another account came from former Tom Dumoulin coach Adriaan Helmantel who noted a team meeting months after Dumuolin's 2017 Giro d'Italia triumph as a major turning point as management altered the communication structure between riders and coaches.
Helmantel claimed that management feared that riders would gain more influence should they communicate directly with coaches, as they pushed for all matters to be communicated through management.
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Culture labelled a "dictatorship"
Labelling the change of direction as a "dictatorship", the coach claimed he attempted to persuade them to allow greater collaboration and dialogue between riders and coaches. But was met with disagreement.
According to NOS Sport, Picnic PostNL was contact for a response and team boss Iwan Spekenbrink was also approached, but declined to comment.
The report comes as the team find themselves in a difficult position at the end of the 2026 season. Ranked 30th in the UCI rankings, it's the lowest ranked WorldTour teams with just three victories this year and already some way off the pace in the relegation race to the end of the 2028 season.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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