After Patrick Lefevere, Etixx-QuickStep manager and new boss of Marcel Kittel, claimed that Iwan Spekenbrink, team manager at Giant-Alpecin, raced Kittel too hard to please the ASO, the Dutchman has hit back.

“Patrick has spoken about us and not with us so it’s not something I’m that keen on discussing. I know that if I have something to say I do it directly. I don’t understand the purpose of his comments,” Spekenbrink told Cyclingnews.

“With the ASO point it’s not correct. Firstly Marcel didn’t race in Oman and secondly if we were only about pleasing ASO, as Patrick says, then we would have sent him to the Tour. I just consider it a compliment that Patrick has talked to the press about us. It shows how much we matter. I’ve also worked as part of the reforms in cycling, along with a number of other teams and Velon, and fought for the teams and riders against some of the ASO proposals. Patrick is aware of that.”

Spekenbrink recently confirmed that the team will focus less on sprints after Kittel’s departure, and more on Classics (they have 2015 Sanremo and Roubaix winner John Degenkolb on their roster) and climbing with Tom Dumoulin and Warren Barguil.