According to Ten Dam and Dekker, the peloton "can’t stand Visma | Lease a Bike"; Knetemann calls out "bully" Pogacar

In the podcast Live Slow Ride Fast, the so-called 'dispute' between UAE and Visma was not discussed at length. However, Laurens ten Dam saw 'a kind of sense of honor' in Tim Wellens' lead-out for Pogacar on the final climb of Mûr de Bretagne. WAs if he wanted to say to the Dutch-speaking bunch at Visma: I'll take the lead for a while." Dekker: "We mustn't forget that most people really do dislike Visma, even if that feeling is perhaps less prevalent in the peloton now."

Ten Dam attributes this to the fact that Visma | Lease a Bike was virtually unbeatable between 2022 and 2024. "Because they won everything, just like everyone hated US Postal." But Dekker also says: "And I think it's also because of a certain way of racing. It's obvious that Pogacar was irritated on Thursday. If van der Poel does something stupid, he gives him a pat on the back. And why did Alpecin-Deceuninck ride at the front on Friday? Because Pogacar and van der Poel are friends."

The same sentiment was expressed in the podcast In Het Wiel. “I think they just hate each other; I've had that impression for a while. And that may not only apply to UAE and Visma but perhaps also to Alpecin and Visma,” said cycling journalist Marijn Abbenhuijs. Just like in 2024, he sees the same riders coming towards each other. “In any case, Van der Poel, Pogacar, and Remco Evenepoel are also part of that group.”

“They're kind of the same guys,” Knetemann observes. “They wear the same watch on their wrists, and Vingegaard is, of course, a mega-introvert, a bit of a nerd. But it bothers me that everyone is constantly talking about it because it's a storm in a teacup.” Abbenhuijs: "Isn't it nice that we have a bit of controversy? Neutral viewers will also think: can't there be a little more friction between Pogacar and van der Poel, who are so nice to each other?"

Knetemann calls Pogacar's comments about Visma after stage 7 ‘tough talk.’ "He's a tough guy who likes to bully his opponents. Pogacar is an extroverted winner, and Vingegaard is an introverted winner. Pogacar doesn't need to do what he's doing now."