Saturday June 29, 2024 at 7:29 PM
Stef Clement has commented in his Tour de France commentary on the NOS lashed out at DSM-firmenich PostNL. According to the former cyclist, the Dutch team should not have let Romain Bardet win the stage to Rimini, but Frank van den Broek. “I think this is completely unjustified,” he began his strong criticism immediately after the finish.
Clement shook his head at the finish when Bardet and Van den Broek crossed the finish line together, with the Frenchman in front. “This one really should have been for Frank van den Broek,” he said irritated. “I don’t care if no one at dsm-firmenich PostNL wants to talk to me anymore, but this victory really should have been given to the 23-year-old Van den Broek. He deserved it, he rode for it himself and he was the stronger one. Also in the final.”
“This is a fourth stage win (in the Tour, ed.) for Bardet. That won’t change his career anymore. Yes, the yellow jersey, but you couldn’t divide it fairly. Then you should have given it to Frank van den Broek”, Clement believes.
Then Clement turns to his young compatriot: “You don’t know if you’ll ever get this chance again, while Bardet has had and taken his chances. He’ll retire richly. And you had your career a megaboost can give. Everyone saw that you were the strongest. As far as I am concerned, it is a real injustice, not as it should be.”
“We didn’t talk about it”
Frank van den Broek himself said in his first reaction after the finish that there had been no talk about a division at the finish. “We didn’t talk about it. My legs were empty, he came over them. It’s great that he wins in his last Tour and takes the yellow,” he said.
