SD Worx-Protime frustrated with UCI over Wiebes case: "They simply don’t answer the phone"

SD Worx-Protime has fully recovered in the Giro d'Italia Women with the pink jersey for Anna van der Breggen, but behind the scenes the team is still dealing with the Lorena Wiebes case, who was disqualified after the first stage due to a bike that was too light.

Team manager Erwin Janssen speaks out, saying he has "pulled out all the stops" to get justice for Wiebes. "We are going to hold the UCI accountable and have hired a lawyer," he states clearly in an interview with Wielerflits. "Besides seeking some form of vindication, this disqualification also has a huge financial impact."

"It’s hard to say the extent of the damage in euros, but you have to consider the prize money from multiple missed stages, the loss of UCI points, and agreements in sponsor contracts," he continues. "We are now working on calculating all of that."

Janssen believes there is a strong chance this case will eventually end up at the CAS, especially since the UCI is currently not cooperating. "It’s very likely it’ll go to CAS. The UCI just isn’t engaging. Nobody answers the phone. Only our lawyer has managed to reach someone higher up at the UCI."

Standing strong in a lawsuit
"It’s simply crazy that we are being brushed off like this. Cycling teams are expected to be top professional, while amateurs or semi-professionals are conducting such bike measurements in a very unprofessional way. I am just amazed by all the things that went wrong. Usually the team management in charge must sign a measurement report, which hasn’t happened this time. And there was no opportunity for a counter-expertise either."

So SD Worx-Protime seems to be in a strong position if legal action is taken, Janssen believes. "The UCI is just unyielding. They say: too heavy is too heavy. There is little understanding or flexibility, while we never take risks with the bike. Lorena’s bike always weighed between 6.83 and 6.85 kilos, so it really just came down to the wind. The bike was blown from left to right. From what I’ve heard from experts, the wind can make a huge difference during a measurement. So we are also investigating that now," the team manager adds.