Visma | Lease a Bike team director Jos van Emden accuses UCI of dirty games: "I’ve completely lost faith in them"
Cycling
Follow IDL Pro Cycling on Google
Stay up to date with the best cycling news by making us a preferred source on Google.
Follow us on GoogleMarianne Vos did on Monday what you expect from a champion: let her legs do the talking. Her Visma | Lease a Bike team was disadvantaged by an organizational error on Sunday, but one day later, Vos delivered revenge by winning the first road stage. “We could use that energy,” she said. Meanwhile, team director Jos van Emden didn’t hold back, publicly criticizing the UCI.
ADVERTISEMENT
Visma | Lease a Bike had already explained on Sunday what they believe went wrong ahead of the team time trial. “Although the riders were present well in time for the mandatory bike check before the team time trial, delays occurred in the process because another team arrived late. Additionally, the checks were initially carried out by only one person, which caused even more delay.”
“A second inspector was only brought in later, but by then, Team Visma | Lease a Bike Women could no longer benefit. As a result, some riders got their bikes back so late that they couldn’t make it to the start on time,” the team stated. Jacco Verharen added: “I went straight to the UCI jury after the stage. They admitted that things did not go well. We work at the highest level of sport, and this is one of the grand tours on the calendar. We deeply regret what happened.”
Team director Van Emden took it a step further on Instagram.
“To give a idea how nasty @uci_cycling works i want to share some information. To be clear, many teams were influenced by bad operations by the uci so no teams to blame. Now the uci is playing nasty games to the teams to tell other teams, in this case @movistar_team, we asked to disqualify them. My trust in the uci was little but from now on its gone. Fair play... my *ss.”
Read more below the photo!
Vos proud of team after Vuelta stage win
Vos let her legs do the talking, and was understandably pleased.
“The team has been working incredibly hard all season. After what happened on Sunday, we wanted to use that as motivation. This is sporting revenge. We were all on board with the plan, and it’s amazing to finish it off like this,” said Vos, who announced this spring that she will stay with Visma | Lease a Bike for the rest of her career.
It was a tricky stage, partly due to the conditions in Spain. “The most important thing was to ride up front and stay out of trouble, although of course you hope everyone gets to the finish safely. I still had Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Imogen Wolff with me, and that’s great. I just had to follow them. That way, I entered the final corner in first position. It was slippery in the finale, but that’s exactly when you want to be at the front.” And it worked, Vos won with several bike lengths to spare.
The fact that Vos entered that final corner, less than 150 meters from the finish, in first position sparked some cynical reactions on social media. “What was the rule again about the minimum distance between the final corner and the finish line? Can someone remind the jury in Spain, because they seem to have forgotten,” responded Visma | Lease a Bike CEO Richard Plugge on X.
Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
IDL-productions
16-day Grand Tours, AI, VAR, drones and more: The UCI's new document has a potentially major impact from 2029 onwards
Quinn Simmons' Strava shows exactly what it takes to compete at the World Championships: ‘I said, Hey guys, anything is possible'
Despite losing the World Championships, Del Toro and Seixas rank high mentally and physically on the Pogačar scale
Van der Poel loves it, but a lack of race radios gave McNulty and USA the chaos it needed to slip away
Pogačar hails the 'King of Montréal', but McNulty already has a plan for 2027: 'Maybe Tadej will have to ride for me'
Latest Cycling News
Bahrain Victorious talent returns positive doping test and is suspended by his own team
Pogačar's Lombardia absence puts world champion McNulty back in the spotlight, against some 'motivated' rivals
Matthews joins the Pidcock Del Toro row after World Championships: 'If fewer teams had ridden together across national borders...'
Giulio Pellizzari has a major score to settle at the European Championships: 'I wasn't worthy of the blue jersey'
Oscar Onley on his day in the break with Van der Poel, Van Aert & Simmons: "I still have to figure that out"
Popular Cycling News
Cycling transfers 2026/2027 | Izagirre calls it quits, Astana bags an emerging sprinter
Matthews joins the Pidcock Del Toro row after World Championships: 'If fewer teams had ridden together across national borders...'
Pidcock accuses Del Toro of helping UAE teammate McNulty to the rainbow jersey: 'Obviously working for McNulty in the end'
Isaac del Toro hits back at Pidcock's criticism: 'All the other teams remained passive'
Oscar Onley on his day in the break with Van der Poel, Van Aert & Simmons: "I still have to figure that out"
Latest Comments
- - Pidcock throwing shade about del Toro in Montréal felt a tad salty. Teams always ride tactics; it’s worlds, not a club race. If Tom wants revenge at Lombardia, he’ll need to mark Ayuso and Remco too, not just McNulty. Vamos Brandon, forza UAE!velodromevirtuoso101-10-2026
- - Wait, so Pogačar is “finished for 2026” but also only back at Tour Down Under 2027? Bit confusing—does that mean he’s out for the whole of 2026 season, or is it just no racing until Jan 2027? Can someone clarify the timeline?lindae01-10-2026
- - Brilliant piece. McNulty in the maglia iridata at San Luca is going to be class. If he measures the final laps and doesn’t overcook it early, he can outsprint most on that ramp.raceready701-10-2026
- - Is October 3 correct for Giro dell’Emilia this year? Thought it usually lands the first weekend but the date here looks off by a day. Either way, stacked UAE roster—curious how they juggle Yates/Wellens/Narváez with the new rainbow stripes.jeremya01-10-2026
- - Wild to think Pogačar wanted to race already when Mir said the collarbone was fine, but Gianetti’s playing the long game. If McNulty carries that Montréal snap into Emilia and Lombardia, watch out. His TT engine plus those short climbs = trouble for Remco and Pidcock.davidm01-10-2026
- - McNulty solo win gets one line? Come on, give Brandon some kudos—his timing on Camillien-Houde was spot on, and MvDP covered a lot to set that finale up. Grande artículo, pero faltan detalles de la táctica en Montréal.patriciaw01-10-2026
- - Not sure why the piece keeps circling back to “we’ll see” without new info. Feels a bit padded. Either he races CX or he doesn’t—tell us when he’ll decide.raceready701-10-2026
- - I’d miss the cross battles if he sits out. The last winter run from Namur onwards—13 straight wins and Hulst rainbow—was insane. But resting might be the only way to consistently match Pog next April.jeremya01-10-2026
- - Quick question: the article says the baby is due around the time of the 2027 CX Worlds in Ostend, but earlier it says January with the 2026/this winter schedule. Is that a typo on the year?julien01-10-2026
- - Brilliant season wrap from MvDP. Eight wins, two TDF stages, E3 + Omloop, and bronze in Montréal. If he skips cross, that could sharpen the spring peak for Sanremo/Ronde/Roubaix. Family comes first though—proficiat to him and Roxanne.breakawaybikerd01-10-2026
Loading
