Lefevere and Sergeant unhappy with European Championship disruption
The Etixx-QuickStep and Lotto-Soudal managers Patrick Lefevere and Marc Sergeant are unhappy with the new European Road Championship event set for this week, saying that it makes an already full calendar even more difficult to manage while also a financial burden with little return.
“It’s only us really chasing it, but at a cost. I don’t see the point,” Lefevere told Het Nieuwsblad.
The newly created championship is designed to highlight riders where the sport is most popular, but some criticise the need for it, as well as being so close to another major race, the Eneco Tour.
“What in the hell added value? I must give eight riders to various national teams? And what do I get in return? They ride in a [kit] where my sponsors are hardly to be found. And I am to spend the money for it. Currently, one of my team busses is en route from the Vuelta to Plumelec with equipment and mechanics. I can not say exactly the amount, but it is costing me.”
“And the calendar is already so full,” said Sergeant. “A day before the start of the Eneco Tour, that is very unfortunate. Take Tiesj Benoot, he longed to European Championships and ride the Eneco Tour as well. But to organize it to get to him to the Netherlands in time …”
