TakeWorlds4 weeks ago
Philippe Gilbert says Tim Wellens «He is totally disconnected from reality» for skipping the World Championships in Montreal. Gilbert's anger is real, but Wellens' logic isn't irrational — it's just a different loyalty than the one Gilbert expects.
Evenepoel's messages briefly made Wellens reconsider his withdrawal — he admitted it «stroked my ego» — yet he still stuck to his original call to prioritize UAE Team Emirates-XRG. His reasoning was blunt: «my brand team remains my employer; they pay me.» Gilbert counters that country comes first, no matter the arguments. That clash — a former world champion's patriotic standard against a rider treating his trade contract as the higher obligation — is the real fracture here, not just one missed start sheet.
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