Johan Bruyneel questions the Picnic PostNL whistleblowers: ‘Isn't that a conflict of interest?’

On his podcast *In de Waaier*, produced in collaboration with the NOS, Zonneveld revealed various abuses at Picnic PostNL. Seventy-one former employees were interviewed and spoke of a culture of fear and a toxic work environment.

"Zonneveld is the general manager of a Dutch cycling team, BEAT Cycling," the Belgian explains in his podcast THEMOVE.

Tusveld has also set up his own mental coaching program, called Tusveld Coaching. Bruyneel also questions his time with the Dutch team.

“He’s been there for six or seven years and extended his contract by two years. Is it really that bad? Okay, if you don’t have any other choice, then maybe you have to sign on for another term.”

It remains to be seen whether Picnic PostNL will still be in the (WorldTour) peloton next year. Iwan Spekenbrink’s team missed the deadline for applying for a UCI license, though that doesn’t mean all is lost.

That made it all even more difficult. “Of course, that’s the explanation they’re giving now, but the problem runs deeper than that,” says Bruyneel.

“Even when Lapierre was still there, they had only received a one-year license, based on their financial situation. I don’t know what Lapierre paid, but we saw that they ran a loss of about twenty million over three years. A bicycle sponsor isn’t going to fill that gap.”

Given all the problems, including the reports of a culture of fear, the question is whether a new sponsor can even be found.

“Right now, everything is so uncertain… Which brand would be willing to make that commitment? They first need guarantees that they’ll be allowed to race, and they don’t have those guarantees. Maybe it won’t be in the WorldTour. I’m thinking of a smaller brand. But right now, I don’t see a single brand that can solve their problems.”