"Team Visma | Lease a Bike still had two strong men available" - Tim Wellens hit back at criticism of UAE Team Emirates from Jan Tratnik

The breakaway prevailed at the 2024 Clasica Jaen Paraiso Interior as Oier Lazkano held off the chasers to take an incredible victory. Amongst those chasers though, some post-race dissension has now broken out.

After Team Visma | Lease a Bike's Jan Tratnik criticised the lack of urgency and desire in the chase from the likes of UAE Team Emirates and INEOS Grenadiers, UAE's Tim Wellens put forward a different point of view in his own post-race interview. "If we get rode well with that group the first time, we might get Lazkano back, but that's easy to say afterwards," Wellens answers. "Wout van Aert's flat tyre may have changed the course a bit, but Team Visma | Lease a Bike still had two strong men available. Lazkano simply deserved to win."

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Whilst Tratnik managed to secure himself a podium finish in third, for Wellens, the best he could manage was fourth. "We didn't think beforehand that the flight would last until the end," he admits honestly. "With Igor Arrieta at the front we were in a good position, but because he was dropped, that was no longer the case."

"Something like that can happen, but we still gave chase very quickly. In the end we were unable to get Lazkano back, because he was also riding very strongly," the Belgian concludes.

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VIDEO: Wout van Aert turns mechanic to fix his own puncture on first gravel section at Clasica Jaen

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