UAE has final say in the Wellens saga: 'We provide all the equipment, but no one ever mentions that'

Joxean “Matxin” Fernandez told Bici.Pro that it was not a team order to keep Wellens at home. “Absolutely not. For me, the most difficult part of the year is putting together the schedule when there are European and world championships, because we then have at least 25 riders who could be called up,” he explains.

So the UAE isn't trying to hinder the national teams. "On the contrary, we provide all the equipment, but no one ever mentions that. We often make the bus available to the Slovenian national team, the Colombian national team—anyone who asks. We provide our riders with the necessary equipment, from bikes to energy gels—whatever they need.”

Matxin doesn't know whether it was Wellens' own decision or one made in consultation with the national team coach. “I’m just speculating, because I don’t know exactly how it went down. It’s possible that the rider evaluated the route to see if it was suitable or not. Or maybe he’s considering whether the role he’s been offered suits him: perhaps he doesn’t feel like going full throttle for the first hundred kilometers.”

The Spaniard refutes the idea that Wellens wouldn’t want to help a rival like Evenepoel. “Remco is an opponent, but he’s also a friend. Often, when riders realize they aren’t key players in the team’s strategy, some choose not to race. But I’ll say it again: these are just hypotheses and speculations, since we don’t know exactly why they made that choice.”

At the time, Wellens even mentioned that Evenepoel reached out, making it clear that he was welcome, and wanted, on the team.