SD Worx-Protime refused to comment on the reported news of Demi Vollering leaving the team after Dwars door Vlaanderen but team boss Danny Stam did say the riders were "not really focused" as they uncharacteristically missed out on a podium spot.
The drama started for the dominant women's team when Stam reportedly broke the news on Vollering's departure after 2024 at the race's start in Waregem, stating budget concerns and Lotte Kopecky's recent extension as reasons to GCN.
The saga continued when the team responded on social media stating that they "made Demi Vollering a generous offer" with a deadline, but assumed she would be departing the team having not replied in time.
But once the 114 kilometres of racing were up and they had been defeated by Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) and outnumbered by Lidl-Trek, "no comment" was the answer given to anything about the reigning Tour de France Femmes champion.
"You should not ask it," Stam told Cyclingnews when pressed to clarify his earlier comments on Vollering, only willing to answer "sporting" questions from the press.
However, it had also been a difficult sporting day for the super team with Kopecky finishing fourth, a huge disappointment by her standards especially with the Tour of Flanders coming on Sunday.
The World Champion missed moves, including the winning one, and was forced into bridging on her own to the leading group earlier in the day after the likes of Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) lit up the racing alongside Vos and eventual runner-up Shirin van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek).
It wasn't the typically brutal display from Kopecky that we have come to expect in the cobbled Classics.
"She [Kopecky] said also by herself that "I made some mistakes and that I was not completely focused' and because of that she was behind," Stam said aware that a repeat would be unacceptable at De Ronde.
"They are mistakes which can happen in this kind of race but cannot happen in Flanders."
An understandably disgruntled Kopecky flew through the mixed zone post-race, not stopping to answer any questions on her own race or the Vollering situation. But as the Champion she is, did emerge later from the Bus to sign autographs and take pictures with young fans.
None of the six riders commented on their teammate's situation and Vollering's Dutch national champion's jersey was absent from those that rolled past the media en route to the buses.
Vollering, who was at the centre of the day's attention and the defending champion coming into today, had a disappointing return to the Belgian cobbles, summed up by her untimely mechanical with 25km to go.
A slow back wheel change from Shimano neutral service saw her hopes end but even prior to this, she wasn't exactly on the world-beating form that saw her dominate the Tour de France Femmes last year, leaving Kopecky on her own to fight a frustrating battle up front.
"She [Vollering] was also not really focused. She missed every break," Stam admitted after Vollering was the last member of the team to arrive back at the bus some 4:21 down on Vos.
"It was not the best race. I think it's just a race where we made some mistakes and we need to be sharper for the next."
He was ultimately unfazed by the team's performance with Kopecky still taking fourth after doing a significant amount of work on her own and missing the race-winning move started by Van Anrooij 12km from the line.
"We changed three girls already and on an appointment, we are always there. This is not the Ronde van Vlaanderen, this is not Gent-Wevelgem," Stam said.
"I think if we change three spring girls for the girls that raced today, we have a totally different squad in the front. So I'm not so worried." I did feel sharp today and I reacted on the right moments, only one time not," Kopecky later said via the team. "I don't have any doubts. I'm looking forward to de Ronde van Vlaanderen."
Niamh Fisher-Black, Femke Herritse and Mischa Bredewold were the riders who came in today in replacement for Gent-Wevelgem winner Lorena Wiebes, Marlen Reusser and Christine Majerus. And Stam was very confident about the sprinter's chances for Sunday after showing her improved versatility last Sunday.
"She [Wiebes] will be good for sure and I'm not doubting on the shape of the girls," he said. "Today we were a little bit not completely focused but I think we don't need to worry. We know the condition is good, they showed that already."
While Vollering's future is still unknown, what's certain is that SD Worx-Protime, even with their three options for victory at Flanders, certainly look the most vulnerable they have for a while.
