Visma, FDJ-Suez hold talks amid Vollering crash furore

Visma | Lease a Bike directeur sportif Jos van Emden and his FDJ-Suez counterpart Stephen Delcourt shared a 20-minute discussion ahead of stage 5 of the Tour de France Femmes in the wake of their comments over Demi Vollering’s crash in Monday’s finale.

In the aftermath of Vollering’s fall, Delcourt shifted blame for the crash from race organisers to opposing teams, claiming that the Dutchwoman had been the victim of ‘disrespect’ from rival squads.

“The mentality of some teams is unbelievable. Truly disrespectful. They’re playing with people’s lives like this,” Delcourt said. “Demi wants to ride at the front, but they keep cutting her off.”

That claim was met with a weary and frank response from Van Emden. Speaking to Het Nieuwsblad and De Telegraaf, Van Emden described Delcourt’s view as “completely ridiculous,” and he also hit out at Vollering.

“I have no respect at all for those comments,” Van Emden said. “Let me be clear: what he’s saying is completely ridiculous. He seems to want a peloton of eight riders with Demi in it, riding in a golden cage. Come on, this is the sport, isn’t it? Nothing happened that shouldn’t have. He’s just been influenced by Demi - by her dramatic behaviour.

“Let me leave it at this. But it needs to be said. Demi really thinks she’s in a golden cage. Sure, she’s the best rider. But that doesn’t mean everyone has to move aside for her. And Delcourt saying people’s lives are being put at risk - that’s just not true. That’s not reality. If you think that, maybe you should do another sport.”

Before the start of stage 5 in Futuroscope on Wednesday, Van Emden and Delcourt held something akin to peace talks – and on neutral outside, too, outside the AG Insurance-Soudal bus.

Visma sports director Jacco Verhaeren also joined the discussions, and he told Het Nieuwsblad afterwards that the air had been cleared between the two teams. Visma currently hold the yellow jersey with Marianne Vos, while Pauline Ferrand-Prévot has designs on overall victory. The FDJ-Suez line-up is built around Vollering, the Tour favourite.

“I can't say much about it, but I think it’s good that we talked,” Verhaeren told Het Nieuwsblad. “And above all, we’re on the same page when it comes to respect and safety in this sport. It was a good conversation.”

In the mixed zone ahead of the stage, Vollering gave an update on her condition after crashing two days ago. She lies sixth overall, 25 seconds down on Vos. 

“I recovered good, I feel better today than yesterday,” she said. “It was a big relief yesterday to be able to ride and look in front of me because my neck was so stiff. Today is a really nice day, it’s super close to our team’s service course and I’m very much looking forward to the home race.”