Hermans learned on Monday that he was not allowed to travel to Copenhagen. His team leaves him at home for the Tour de France. The rider will move to another team next year (more than likely Alpecin-Deceuninck) and that, according to him, was the main reason why he was passed. “The team thought I would create a bad atmosphere, but I don’t understand that.”
Intermarché now admits that the fact that Hermans did not want to sign with the team and will soon be moving to Alpecin-Deceuninck, has to do with that. “A lot has happened in the past few months,” reference was made to the difficult conversations.
“The talks have been going on for a very long time. With all the emotions that came with it. It has all come together in the past few weeks. People were angry, disappointed. Ultimately, that made us decide that this was not a good situation to come to the Tour with Quinten. It’s not just about the eight strongest riders here, you also have to have a team that works well together.”
Disappointed
“That good atmosphere has always been our asset this season and has brought many riders back to good performances after sometimes bad years. We didn’t want to make any concessions to that. There is already enough stress in the Tour. We wanted to avoid even more emotions and distractions.”
Visbeek clearly shows that he is disappointed in Hermans’ attitude. “Quinten has always had a privileged place in the team, if only to prepare for his cross season. Yet we have always supported him. But we did not expect what has happened in recent months. Quinten should also not say that he does not know why he would ruin the atmosphere. The atmosphere had already deteriorated. He proved us right with that reaction.”
Hermans finished second in Liège-Bastogne-Liège this season and won a stage in the Tour of Belgium. „In Flemish cycling culture it is also true that riders are placed on a pedestal after such a good performance, but we have to to do. I don’t think it’s normal what has been said in the media. Luckily I don’t live in Flanders. Hilaire van der Schueren is 74 years old and he receives threats on Facebook, and then you stir that up a bit in the media with Hermans’ statements. I like it quite a bit.”
Quinten Hermans: “The team thought I would create a bad atmosphere, but I don’t understand that.”
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‘Character murder’
“When I hear this, I can only say that I made the right choice by leaving the team,” Hermans responds to Visbeek’s statements. “I don’t want to be part of a team that treats its riders like that. Aike says things he knows aren’t right. This looks like character assassination. Look, one day before departure I was told that I was not allowed to join the Tour. There was not a word about me in the team’s press release. So the media – looking for an explanation – turned to me for a story. In all those years I have responded to injustice only once. Because I think I can respond to that. And that’s exactly what they’re using against me now. I think that is really below par.”
“I can only hope that a few people will dare to stand up and confirm my words”
Dominance
Two days after the fateful phone call, Hermans is still impressed by Visbeek’s words as if he “could ruin the atmosphere within the team.” According to the 26-year-old Looienaar, the atmosphere during the recent Tour of Belgium was not in the least bad. “The team management knew during that stage race that I would leave the team. Yet they devised a plan to bend the queen stage to Durbuy to our liking. As far as I’m concerned, I had one of the best days on the bike that Saturday. Everyone in the team – both on and off the bike – had their share in my stage win. In the evening at the hotel everyone was genuinely happy for me. Then the atmosphere was great. That’s not so long ago. So so… (Silence) I have had messages from many teammates and team leaders stating that they did not see this coming and that I do not deserve this treatment. That negates everything Visbeek cites. I can only hope that a few people dare to stand up and confirm my words. But I also understand that the team is in a position of power,” concludes Hermans, who will not be watching the Tour at home in his chair for the next three weeks.
“I’m not going to torture myself. No, I’m leaving for Italy on Thursday and I’m taking a week of vacation. The bike will come with me, because the following two weeks I will go on an altitude training course in Livigno, Italy. Just like with Telenet-Fidea Lions (Sven Nys’s cross team for which he previously rode, ed.) I want to continue to behave professionally until the last day. I just hope I get the chance to do that. Because when I hear all this, I don’t know if I will be able to race a lot this season.”
Source: Het Nieuwsblad