Picnic PostNL head coach Rudi Kemna has responded emotionally to allegations of the Dutch WorldTour team operating with a toxic culture, insisting that, while left "astonished" by the report, the team must listen and enter a dialogue.
Kemna was mentioned throughout the extensive investigation conducted by NOS Sport and In De Waaier, published on Thursday and which included interviews with 71 current or former employees at Picnic PostNL, one of them even describing the situation as "a dictatorship." But when he spoke to WielerFlits at the Eneco Tour, he struggled to come to terms with what had been revealed.
"The only reaction I can give is that I am deeply upset. That I sympathise with all the people we have apparently traumatised—I don't know what words are being used. I am astonished by it, but it touches me too," he told WielerFlits.
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"And it also hurts me that we are portrayed this way as a team, and personally Iwan [Spekenbrink, team owner] and I too... We try to lead the team as well as possible, especially regarding safety.
"I come from a culture – you know what cycling was like in the old days – that is exactly what we don't want: to have to do something you don't want to do to improve performance. We lead a team in elite sport, openly and honestly. And this is the accusation we receive... I am devastated by it."
Kemna was mentioned by name in the Dutch media report by former rider Martijn Tusveld, who detailed how his standing in the team changed when – after being asked for his opinion by Kemna – he openly criticised the team's tactics at the Giro d'Italia in 2020.
"I became anxious. I thought: I'll keep my mouth shut and say yes and amen. And that's what I did for the rest of the years with this team," he told NOS. He said he had emailed Kemna directly last year to tell him he no longer dared to speak up and that he was not the person he once was.
Tusveld also said he suffered with symptoms of depression in 2021, stating: "I also thought about harming myself."
Kemna responded directly to this exchange, with a different recollection from the rider, and bewilderment after believing Tusveld had wanted to remain on the team even after the Giro incident.
"I have an email from Martijn Tusveld. I replied to it and invited him, and then things went quiet. Until today," he said. "I feel sorry for him, because I really have the feeling that Martijn is a nice guy; that's how I know him.
"But what I find a bit hard to understand is that Martijn worked with our team for several years and also clearly indicated that he wanted to stay with our team."
'If this is what is felt, we need to listen to it'
Tom Dumoulin's former coach, Adriaan Helmantel, also spoke in detail in the report, saying that the management looked to establish more control due to "paranoia" in the wake of their 2017 Giro d'Italia victory: "It became a dictatorship"
Asked directly if he recognised himself in the stories, most of which are anonymous, and while noting how his experience isn't how it was described by the former staff members at Picnic PostNL, Kemna did recognise the need to act.
"Yes, I know those stories, I know the examples too. I also know which sides it touches upon. But that is not the side we are in when it comes to a culture of fear or dictatorship; I can barely bring myself to say it. I do not recognise myself in that at all," said Kemna.
"If this comes our way and we have no intentions, but if it is received as such, then we cannot simply look away," says the team manager. "We are deeply surprised that this can just happen. We will have to see exactly what it all is, but if that is the case, then we cannot do absolutely nothing."
The team reportedly didn't respond when approached by NOS and In De Waaier in person for comment, but did post a statement in response in the hours that followed.
They confirmed they would commission an independent investigation into the team culture, and that it would "take its findings seriously and implement any improvements that may be needed." Kemna too is looking for clarity.
"I would like answers, and I actually said that I don't want to stand here to defend everything. I have already indicated that it does affect me," said the head coach.
"The most important thing is that I find it terrible that people have experienced this. I find that very sad, and the most important thing I must add to that is that we did not acknowledge it, we did not see it. And that we actually can hardly believe it. But it is there. Otherwise, they wouldn't say so.
"But on the other hand, we also see a lot of people on our team who feel really good. We have been working together for 18 years; we have a lot of different people and very different ways of reacting. If this is what is felt, we need to listen to it. I would like to enter into a dialogue."
In response to the developments of the past 24 hours, the Dutch Cycling Union (KNWU) has also released a statement, agreeing with the need for the team's investigation.
"The signals emerging in the reporting regarding cycling team Picnic-PostNL are very concerning. The experiences described by riders and staff members affect us and must be taken seriously. The situations described have a major impact on those involved, and they must be able to count on appropriate support," said Wouter Bos, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the KNWU.
"Within Picnic-PostNL, a thorough investigation is needed into how this situation could have arisen and what steps are required to prevent a recurrence.
"As the KNWU, we stand for a cycling sport in which everyone should be able to participate in sports and work freely, enjoyably, and safely. We call upon everyone to report to the hotline in the event of transgressive behaviour, abuse of power, or an unsafe situation. Following this reporting and possible reports, the KNWU is investigating whether, and if so, what further steps are necessary."
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