Jasper Stuyven has accused a number of of his Belgian teammates of using to assist Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel at Sunday’s Gravel World Championships in Leuven.
Van der Poel gained the race by 1:03 forward of Belgian Florian Vermeersch whereas one other Belgian – his Alpecin-Deceuninck teammate Quinten Hermans – took third at 3:47 down.
Stuyven completed in fourth because the Belgians completed with 4 of the highest 5 placings, however he later stated that Hermans and fifth-placed Gianni Vermeersch had been using extra in assist of Van der Poel’s ambitions than Belgium’s.
“It is annoying. These guys did not take over, however they do it when it fits them,” Stuyven stated to Sporza, referring to the riders working within the chase behind solo winner Van der Poel.
“It was very clear that every one the blokes from Alpecin had been right here to assist him. Though I had anticipated that we’d race in [national] groups.”
Van der Poel had initiated the assaults within the 182km race after simply 60km, forming a lead group of 16 riders together with seven Belgians. One other transfer would reduce the group all the way down to seven with 4 Belgians within the combine.
40km from the end, Florian Vermeersch made a transfer which noticed him and Van der Poel go clear earlier than the Dutchman made his solo bid for glory at 13km out.
Behind them, the chase group of Stuyven, Hermans, Gianni Vermeersch, Connor Swift (Nice Britain), and Matej Mohorič (Slovenia) ended up battling over bronze after falling nicely adrift of the 2 leaders.
Vermeersch, who gained the inaugural Gravel Worlds in Veneto two years in the past, responded to Stuyven by saying that “it’s all the time higher when somebody from Alpecin wins”, seemingly confirming Stuyven’s accusation.
“It wasn’t as much as us to shut the hole,” he continued. “However we weren’t actually a limiting issue. We all the time tried to take turns a bit. I might’ve appreciated to win myself.
“In the end, all of us attempt to go for the title. I do not suppose it was actually an issue.”
Hermans, who scored the bronze medal after ending sixth on his debut final 12 months, stated that “the plan was to trip along with the group.”
