"We have seen it is often a tactical mess" - Michael Boogerd thinks Dutch Women team lacks unity

Michael Boogerd wonders whether the Dutch women's team will be able to form a unity in the road race on Sunday. In De Telegraaf, the former rider questions the mutual relationships among the riders and national coach Loes Gunnewijk.

"I'm not part of it, of course, but I don't have the impression that it's one for all and all for one with the women. That's not easy when you have so many top riders," says Boogerd, who saw a team in the men's race that was fully ahead of Mathieu van der Poel.

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"Annemiek van Vleuten and Anna van der Breggen haven't had coffee together and Van Vleuten and Vollering aren't the best of friends either. That does not have to forge a unity, but then you do need a strong personality as a national coach. Loes Gunnewijk is not that in my eyes. We have seen too often that it is a tactical mess, mainly because there is never really clarity about who has what tasks."

On the course in Glasgow, a unity is needed, especially with Lotte Kopecky as a big rival to the Dutch team. "If they want to top Kopecky, they will have to demolish her as a team," thinks Boogerd. The analyst prefers Vollering as the leader. "Vollering showed in the spring that she can put everyone on it in grueling one-day races, that alone is a reason to put her at the top of the hierarchical ladder in this Dutch team."

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