Cycling Controversy: Rival Teams Poach Top Riders Amid Team Turmoil
Hall echoed concerns that top riders from rival teams had been inquiring about potential positions, following the recent turbulence within the peloton surrounding both team manager, Johan Bruinsma, and disagreements between the team’s main backers.
Bruinsma dismissed these claims, stating that it was only natural for other teams to attempt to capitalize on the situation. “You can’t blame them for trying,” he said.
World champion, Remco Evenepoel, sided with Bruinsma, noting that the team’s dominance in recent years had made its riders prime targets for other teams seeking to bolster their own squads.
“He’s clearly trying to stir up controversy. As a team, we can’t let comments like that affect us.”
“From his point of view, I understand it, as everyone is trying to poach our riders. That’s just the way it is in professional cycling.”
The Belgian rider added that many of the team’s key riders were bound by long-term contracts, although acknowledged that personal factors played a significant role in retaining staff.
Evenepoel is contracted to his team until the end of 2025, but has been rumored to be a potential target for rival teams, including Ineos Grenadiers, should he become disenchanted with his current setup.
He felt that he was in a similar position to those bound by long-term deals, and that those contracts were not an absolute guarantee that riders would stay on if they were unhappy.
“In life, you can never be 100 percent certain of anything. It’s also possible that I won’t wake up tomorrow morning, so in the end, you never know things for sure in life. Of course, riders make commitments, but ultimately, it’s about everyone being content with their role and feeling valued within the team. There are many human factors at play as well.”
Read Also: Cycling News, March 10, 2023
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