Lefevere is pretty upset

[franciep10]

Well he's ****ed of at everybody except Boonen he has some good points about the cycling federations though

Link: Lefevere is upset

 

[auscyclefan94]

Well, Devolder can't really target PR as that is Boonen's race. Why doesn't Devolder have a go at some one week tour's like Eneco tour, Tour of poland or tirenno and some other one day races like L-b-l.

 

[El Oso]

Well, Devolder can't really target PR as that is Boonen's race. Why doesn't Devolder have a go at some one week tour's like Eneco tour, Tour of poland or tirenno and some other one day races like L-b-l.

Because he's Flemish. Not saying it's a good reason, but it's probably the most accurate. If he wins he's the local hero.

 

[Kazistuta]

Typical Lefevre style lashing out in every direction... If you can't handle the risk in employing a track rider, then don't sign him, it's as easy as that!
I admit the Cornu/Keisse injuries has been very unfortunate, but that might as well have happened during road training.

Lefevre could always demand what "his" riders should do.... after all HE'S their employer.

I guess he's justifiably a little dissappointed in Devolder, as most of us. Haven't really heard Weylandts apparent "mouth overflow" though, any Belgians care to clarify if this statement is true?

 

[BikeCentric]

You'd think Lefevre could at least wait a couple of weeks until AFTER Flanders and PR and see how his Belgians do there before having his little freak out. I mean I don't see how it does the riders any good to heap even more pressure upon them in the weeks leading up to the biggest races of the year for them and for all of Belgium.

 

[Night Rider]

Whilst the performance of another Belgian ProTour squad, Omega Pharma-Lotto, is again under the spotlight, Lefevere said that contrary to popular opinion, the team doesn't pay particular attention to beating its countrymen during races.

I don't think anyone needs to pay attention to, or worry about Pharma-Lotto (Gilbert excepted)

 

[auscyclefan94]

Because he's Flemish. Not saying it's a good reason, but it's probably the most accurate. If he wins he's the local hero.

Belgians are funny people......

 

[Michele]

Funny?

De Ronde is their n°1 race, the one they wait the whole year (much more than worlds) and if a Flemmish win it it's very normal to get he would become a local hero.

 

[Big GMaC]

Funny?

De Ronde is their n°1 race, the one they wait the whole year (much more than worlds) and if a Flemmish win it it's very normal to get he would become a local hero.

Devolder has won it twice already and Boonen is looking like a good pick this year? Why is Lefevre having a public go at them now, surely this should be an internal thing before the races, then blast them later?

 

[samb01]

Lashing out at underperforming riders in public is Lefevere's way of telling them to 'do what you have to do to be competitive'.

It worked wonders when he gave Pozzato this treatment back in 2005.

 

[ExRower]

it works for some maybe. dunno if it'll work for Devolder, only time will tell.

im sure though that John Maxwell would not agree haha

 

[craig1985]

First Chicken gave his tirade to the Danish media, and now Lefevere has gone on the war path, attacking all and sundry. Is there something in the water that is making everybody angry all of a sudden? Either way, I hope it continues as it is rather entertaining. Hinault is due to blast the French cyclists as 'lazy' and for Cav to go on another Ricco tirade.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Belgians are funny people......

No, you simply don't understand.

For the Flemish people, the Ronde van Vlaanderen is more important than any other race, maybe even the Tour. The importance of the race is huge, really huge.

 

[il_fiammingo]

Typical Lefevre style lashing out in every direction... If you can't handle the risk in employing a track rider, then don't sign him, it's as easy as that!
I admit the Cornu/Keisse injuries has been very unfortunate, but that might as well have happened during road training.

Lefevre could always demand what "his" riders should do.... after all HE'S their employer.

I do think he has a point now. He signed Keisse to reinforce his classics team, not to have a fulltime track rider. I don't know if a rider has to obey the federation when he's selected. In football e.g. this is the case: if a player rejects the invitation of the national team, he cannot play for his own team until the game of the national team is over. I think he even risks an extra suspension. So if the player/rider gets hurt being on duty for the national federation while being paid by his own team, I can imagine that a team manager doesn't like that and will take action to get some kind of compensation for that.

I guess he's justifiably a little dissappointed in Devolder, as most of us. Haven't really heard Weylandts apparent "mouth overflow" though, any Belgians care to clarify if this statement is true?

Weylandts turned pro at the age of 20. Being fast he had some decent results back then. He's been an example of a young, flashy & trendy riders that the press realy diggs; a kind of Beckham on wheels. However over the few years he was unable to improve (due to injuries) as expected: missing the top speed to win bunch sprints and lacking endurance and power to do well in the cobbled classics. If you win Nokere and finish 3rd in Wevelgem at the age of 23, he should have been a worthy alternative for Boonen within Quick Step by now. I bet he has a nice contract at Quick Step (most likely n° 4 on the wage list behind Boonen, Devolder & Chavanel) but he fails to deliver so far, hence the frustration of Lefevere

 

[il_fiammingo]

No, you simply don't understand.

For the Flemish people, the Ronde van Vlaanderen is more important than any other race, maybe even the Tour. The importance of the race is huge, really huge.

Honestly, my boss may ask me to come to work on Christmas and Newyear, but there is NO WAY i'll be working the day of the Ronde. Given the fact she's French, I already know she will never understand.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Maybe you need to compare it with France in the final of the world cup football, you wouldn't dare ask a frenchman to come to work that evening

 

[maikel]

He is really underperforming this year, and I don't see him win de ronde this year because Pozzato isn't the only one next to boonen who is in superform. And his form now is nowhere the level what it was next year. I thought he claimed he would try LBL this year also, but I don't give him much chance, there are even more competetors than in the flemish ronde.

He himself claimed in Belgian and dutch newspapers that he was okay and in fine form, but he almost always say that

 

[maikel]

Maybe you need to compare it with France in the final of the world cup football, you wouldn't dare ask a frenchman to come to work that evening

I believe that counts for more than half the world population

 

[Dr. Maserati]

He is really underperforming this year, and I don't see him win de ronde this year because Pozzato isn't the only one next to boonen who is in superform. And his form now is nowhere the level what it was next year. I thought he claimed he would try LBL this year also, but I don't give him much chance, there are even more competetors than in the flemish ronde.

He himself claimed in Belgian and dutch newspapers that he was okay and in fine form, but he almost always say that

Ha... very true. These are his latest comments.

"I am used to dealing with pressure. Saturday [in E3 Prijs] I was good." ....
"I know how I should prepare myself for the Ronde now. I think I'll be ready just in time," he said confidently.

 

[Jonathan]

Lefevre does this every now and then. It's not extraordinary. And he does have a problem with Devolder, who disappointed in GTs and now won't show himself before the Ronde. This suggests he will only go for the win one day in the year. A far cry from the old Devolder, who attacked too often.

I don't really understand it. Devolder is a talented rider who should be able to handle all kinds of different races. I don't see why he couldn' target L-B-L, Amstel, or GT stages.

 

[L'arriviste]

Chuffy old beggar

I sort of think cycling (at least in the English language rendition of it) is too quiet anyway. I'm all for a bit of this kind of public aggro, provided that it isn't dumbed down to the level of Contador vs Armstrong style personality politics.

Lefevere must be frustrated though. All that money and apart from Boonen and Malacarne (bad meat?) the other day, his team has done diddly zip. He himself strikes me as a pugilist: a guy who does best with his back to the wall.

Bad winter aside, he must have signed Keisse as a crowd-pleaser. Saw the fellow 'perform' at the Gent 6 in 2008: expensive haircut, OK legs. And then Devolder. Even Chavanel seems to be going naff this year. They've all got time to improve of course but as far as Flanders is concerned, the time to do stuff is now.

None of this bluster changes the fact that Lefevere's the guy who's ultimately responsible for any underperformance and shaming riders who are evidently image-sensitive is an interesting, if rather spectacular, tactic that I personally welcome if only to eagerly await the fruits of it.

PS: I would also like to see riders and managers using the word "super" a bit less.

 

[TRDean]

I love it!! He is spot on with both riders!! My guess is that neither will be with the team when their current contracts are up...And there is no way Boonen plays second fiddle in the Ronde to a rider who has done absolutely nothing this season...can't wait to see!!

 

[Jonathan]

I sort of think cycling (at least in the English language rendition of it) is too quiet anyway. I'm all for a bit of this kind of public aggro, provided that it isn't dumbed down to the level of Contador vs Armstrong style personality politics.

These things often come up in the Belgian press. The cyclocross season is a goldmine if you like 'public aggro', but there are small incidents, big incidents and snide remarks in the newspapers all year round.

 

[L'arriviste]

These things often come up in the Belgian press. The cyclocross season is a goldmine if you like 'public aggro', but there are small incidents, big incidents and snide remarks in the newspapers all year round.

Too right! And I loved the segment Sporza did while we were waiting for them to fix the technical 'itch with the live pictures at Gent Wevelgem. Controversial editions of the race. Lovely bit of public rowing going on there. Didn't understand much but there was one with a stripling Merckx and another with Vanderaeden and Planckaert. And Zabel's disagreement with a big horse.

Keep it up anyway, Roger! Tell them overpaid and underworked bums to work harder or else you'll lay 'em out like pieces of laminate flooring!

 

[ak-zaaf]

I love it!! He is spot on with both riders!! My guess is that neither will be with the team when their current contracts are up...And there is no way Boonen plays second fiddle in the Ronde to a rider who has done absolutely nothing this season...can't wait to see!!

Next week in TV-show 'De Flandriens':
Interviewer: Did Devolder wins Vlaanderen twice because he was in your team?
Boonen: He doesn't like to hear that, so no. But... yes.

Could be a fun week coming up