Lukáš Ronald Lukács@lucasaganronald
VAN BAARLE AND UIJTDEBROEKS ALSO CRITICISE VISMA’S TRAINING METHODS
After Attila Valter’s words also Dylan Van Baarle also spoke about how better it is at Soudal QuickStep than in Visma.
Dylan Van Baarle: “I lost faith in Visma’s training methods. I like to make a clear plan, but in the way that I think is right, not in the way that others think is right for me. I like being more in control, and they let me do that more here. It's all a bit freer there in Soudal than I was used to in Visma. I have a little more of my own input, so to speak.”
But much more critical was Cian Uijtdebroeks who broke his contract to leave for Movistar.
Cian Uijtdebroeks: “At Visma, the focus was on short, explosive training sessions, so a lot of VO2 max work. I’d personally prefer longer blocks at tempo, but there was no room for that. I asked to do longer blocks, but that was difficult within their system. You didn’t have much say. That was difficult for me.”
“I also really wanted to improve my time trial, but after Tirreno, I hadn’t been on my time trial bike again, if you’re a GC rider, that just can’t happen. I’ve already lost three minutes to Remco in a TT, but now it shouldn’t be more than one minute. I have a new bike position and personalised handlebars. I finally feel comfortable in training.”
“Since Merijn Zeeman left, it has become even more disciplined. For certain riders that works, but for a rider like me it doesn’t. I really want to be able to help decide my own training.”
“Then also my saddle was moved back five centimetres, but I’m not the kind of rider who, like Victor Campenaerts, adopts a very aero road bike position. If I want to release my power without certain nerves getting inflamed, the saddle has to be moved forward. Tiesj Benoot experienced that too.”
And in the end, all Valter, Van Baarle, Uijtdebroeks, and Benoot left the team.
