Lefevere "asks" riders to sue newspaper

By Susan Westemeyer

Quick-Step Team Manager Patrick Lefevere has asked the thirty riders on his team to sue the newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, which had accused him of "30 years of doping."

The Belgian announced earlier this month that he was suing the newspaper for €20.5 million, and team doctor Yvan Van Mol is suing for €2 million.

The Het Laatste Nieuws article was based partially on interviews with a rider who is currently with the team, but who remained anonymous. According to Sportwereld.be, Lefevere spoke with his riders over the weekend, and the eight riders currently racing in Paris-Nice agreed.

"I do not require them to do this, I merely ask them to," he said to Sportwereld.be. "But whoever doesn't do it makes themselves suspicious as being the one who spoke to Het Laatste Nieuws. I can assume that no one would be so stupid as to file a complaint against themselves."

He laid this claim out more specifically, according to Sporza.be. He said that if someone does not participate, "then we will know immediately who from our team talked to them. ... The riders are also victims of these doping charges. The article endangers their future."