The investigation is based on testimonies, many of them anonymous, from over 71 people who work or have worked for Picnic, and examines several specific cases, including that of Martijn Tusveld, a rider for the team from the year 2018 to 2024, whose situation changed during the 2020 Giro d’Italia when he dared to question his team’s sporting strategy. From then on, the Dutchman was sidelined, then reinstated, but he believes his career has suffered a lot. “I became anxious,” he told NOS. ” I thought: I’ll just shut up and say yes and amen. I even thought about suicide.”
The Dutch publication explains that a turning point occurred after Tom Dumoulin’s winning on 2017 Giro d’Italia, when the team was still called Sunweb, which resulted in stricter rules, an obsession with control, and a climate of mistrust and paranoia.
Picnic’s a long-time manager, Iwan Spekenbrink, declined to comment on the allegations in the investigation going on. His team is concluding a very difficult season result, finishing only 30th position in the world rankings and managing just three meager wining this year: a stage win at the Tour of Turkey by Casper van Uden, Paris-Chauny with Pavel Bittner, and the stage win in China at Biesterbos, their only World Tour wining.
Drop your comment below:
