Lotto-Intermarché explains four Tour de France Femmes withdrawals in three days: ‘The level also plays a part’

The Tour de France Femmes has turned into a battle for survival for Lotto-Intermarché. After only three stages, the Belgian team has already lost four of its seven riders. Sports director Grace Verbeke has explained the different reasons behind the withdrawals, while admitting that the exceptionally high level of the race has also played a part.

So things were tough for Lotto Intermarché. There were crashes, and the heat didn’t help either, but the team manager spoke to Het Nieuwsblad about the bigger picture. “What’s happening to us now is the result of a combination of circumstances. There were the crashes, and apparently we don’t handle the heat well, but it certainly has to do with our level of performance as well.”

That sounds pretty critical, but Verbeke explains. “Last year we were still a continental team—actually, we’re a development team. As a result, we headed to the Tour with a largely inexperienced and young squad. Things went well in the Vuelta, though; there, five out of seven riders made it to the finish, and our performance level was good.”

In the Tour, it’s a whole different story. “You get here and realize the pace is even higher. We knew that going in, but at the same time, we didn’t want to deny our riders this opportunity. We knew we’d have to learn the hard way,” she says, acknowledging the harsh reality.

But also: “We hoped our riders would learn a tremendous amount here. The crashes, injuries, and the heat, however, haven’t been a walk in the park. But we’ll keep fighting and take heart from, for example, Linda Riedmann’s tenth-place finish on Sunday.”

Sandrine Tas still has a long way to go in the Tour, and the Belgian certainly didn’t let her head hang low during her interview with Sporza. “I’m still in good spirits. This is only my second WorldTour race and my first Grand Tour. It’s a bit of a shock, but I did expect it. The level here is much higher, and I notice that I’m still holding back too much in the peloton. That’s how I always end up at the back.”

“I’m still a bit too cautious, but that’s something I need to learn,” said the Grand Tour debutant. “Other than that, it’s really hard pedaling, and the heat is also getting to me. I need to work on that. My engine stalled on Sunday, and I didn’t come close to my usual performance levels”—Tas was clearly struggling with the heat as well.

It doesn’t help that four teammates have already had to drop out. “That’s a real shame, because we were really fired up for this Tour. Everyone wanted to prove themselves here, but it turned out differently. The three of us are still really looking forward to it, and we want to make it to Nice together. In that regard, we’re still feeling optimistic.”