"Twenty teams wrote 'never in our lives'. Now it is happening anyway" - Patrick Lefevere stunned at lack of unity within peloton surrounding earpieces experiments
Cycling
There was a lot of banter surrounding the tests on racing without earpieces conducted at the on-going Tour de Pologne. Richard Plugge and UCI boss David Lappartient were already arguing about it on social media, with many other promiment names from the cycling world taking sides (mostly Plugge's side) in their reactions. The outspoken manager of Soudal - Quick-Step Patrick Lefevere shared his view on the matter as well, calling the experiment 'completely ridiculous and symptomatic'.
Lefevere has joined the discussion in his Het Nieuwsblad column. "I would like to conclude my column with my opinion on the discussion about earpieces in Poland. As is known: the cycling association is conducting an experiment there: only two riders per team are allowed to be in radio contact with the support vehicle. If I am well informed, there were no earpieces in the past few stages."
"I find that measure completely ridiculous and symptomatic of the lack of unity that still exists within the peloton," he refers to many complaints among riders and teams - yet to no avail. "I have seen twenty emails in which the teams wrote emphatically: 'never in our lives'. Now it is happening anyway. Not coincidentally in the Tour of Poland, with race director John Lelangue, the most flexible person in the world when it comes to the wishes of the UCI."
Lefevere also citicizes the team association AIGCP for lack of intervence: "It is also a disgrace for the AIGCP - the umbrella organization of the teams. I have come to know Brent Copeland as someone who always knows better at meetings, but as chairman he now also shows little backbone. I wonder: what if there is a big oil slick on the road and the peloton is not aware of it? I hope that a number of people will then be deeply ashamed."
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