{"id":661040,"date":"2026-05-10T03:07:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-10T03:07:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/661040\/"},"modified":"2026-05-10T03:07:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-10T03:07:10","slug":"team-doctor-reveals-how-patrick-lefevere-almost-signed-cyclings-most-controversial-climber","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/661040\/","title":{"rendered":"Team doctor reveals how Patrick Lefevere almost signed cycling’s most controversial climber"},"content":{"rendered":"


\nIn an interview on the Stamcaf\u00e9 Koers podcast<\/a>, Vanmol opened up about his working relationship with Lefevere. The team doctor admitted that the two frequently clashed over major decisions, particularly when crisis struck.<\/p>\n

“Yes, we argued regularly,” Vanmol explained. “For example, the few times that Tom Boonen got the team into trouble with cocaine use. I always stood by Tom’s side, but it had major consequences for the team. We lost Specialized as a sponsor because of it, you know.”<\/p>\n

Their disagreements also extended to the team’s transfer policies. However, Vanmol believes this constant friction was ultimately a healthy dynamic for the team’s success. “We had regular arguments, but it is better to be part of an organization where everyone can give their opinion than to surround yourself with only yes-men.”<\/p>\n

\"Ricc\u00f2:<\/p>\n

Riccardo Ricc\u00f2 was banned for life for doping<\/p>\n

The Riccardo Ricc\u00f2 ultimatum<\/p>\n

The most critical breaking point in their working relationship centered around Riccardo Ricc\u00f2. The Italian climber, whose career was later destroyed by multiple severe and life-threatening doping offenses, was incredibly close to joining the Belgian squad.<\/p>\n

“Both the sponsors and Patrick were convinced to bring him in. I think there was even a pre-contract, because Patrick went to Germany to sign him,” Vanmol revealed.<\/p>\n

Unwilling to compromise, Vanmol drew a definitive line in the sand regarding the controversial Italian. “I said: ‘Patrick, it’s either Ricc\u00f2 or Vanmol. Together is not going to happen.’ Fortunately, he listened to me, because a year later it was a massive drama.”<\/p>\n

Vanmol’s staunch opposition to the transfer was based on alarming observations of Ricc\u00f2’s behavior in the peloton, coupled with highly suspicious medical data. He recalled a particularly arrogant display during the Tour of Austria. Ricc\u00f2 rode up to one of Vanmol’s riders and mockingly asked if there was something wrong with his bike’s chain. When the confused rider asked why he would think that, Ricc\u00f2 smirked: “Because I don’t feel the chain.”<\/p>\n

Beyond the blatant arrogance, it was the hard medical data that ultimately forced Vanmol to throw his weight around to block the move. “I certainly brought that up a few times when it all turned to shit a year later,” Vanmol noted, referring to Ricc\u00f2’s subsequent, highly publicized doping busts. “His blood values were shooting in all directions.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In an interview on the Stamcaf\u00e9 Koers podcast, Vanmol opened up about his working relationship with Lefevere.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":661041,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[569],"tags":[64,63,784,198088,17833,85,166092],"class_list":["post-661040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cycling","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-cycling","tag-patrick-lefevere","tag-soudal-quick-step","tag-sports","tag-tom-boonen"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/661040","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=661040"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/661040\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/661041"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=661040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=661040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=661040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}