Belgian star takes a critical eye to his former team, training partner, and future teammate
Along with picking up 100 of Vacansoleil's 130 UCI points, Bjorn Leukemans, has shown himself to be a rider not at all afraid to speak his mind, and in a recent chat with Sporza, the Belgian all-arounder shoots from the hip.
Leukemans is quick to criticize his Vacansoleil team: "I am too often alone," he says in the interview, but also doesn't pull any punches with his former Omega Pharma-Lotto team.
"Philippe Gilbert wanted me, but with Omega Pharma-Lotto they avoided me instead of just saying it like it is. There are a few on the Lotto team I'd rather not return to. If I were boss, I would keep a clean house, not so much with the riders, but the staff."
Despite his reservations about re-signing with Vacansoleil, the Belgian committed for another two seasons. Interestingly, Leukemans points out that two of cycling's biggest classics stars approached him after his great ride at Paris-Roubaix.
"Tom Boonen sent me an SMS after Paris-Roubaix and Pozzato of Katusha wanted me too."
However, he is not pleased with the recent signing of controversial climbing superstar, Riccardo Ricco. The 4th place finisher at this year's Ronde Van Vlaanderen's opinion of Ricco is more practical rather than judgmental though.
"Ricco does not have a UCI point. I still wonder why the team would take a rider with no points."
The recent winner of the Druivenkoers is more than aware of his tenuous position as a doping critic, himself returning from a doping suspension only a little while ago. The cobbled hope says he's not the only one that should be careful with his judgement though.
"I have to watch what I say, because for many people, I may not be the right person to judge, but then I notice pretty much no one in the peloton should either."
The fact remains though, Vacansoleil is trying to get into the UCI's top 17 for next season. At the moment, the team sits in 23rd, 113 points out of the top 17.
"If we can finish in the top 17 on the team classification, we start all over."
Another to come under the critical eye of Leukemans is his now former training buddy, Rabobank (and soon to be QuickStep) rider, Nick Nuyens.
"During the Belgian Championships, things happened that really disappointed me. Something broke between us. We have lost contact and no longer train together. If you sit in a breakaway with Nuyens, he's always waiting, thinking. That's annoying. After a while, that attitude goes against you and you create a reputation in the peloton. That's why it clicks with Gilbert. If you're with him, you'll know: we will stay away, and the best man will win."