"I'll call Phil and tell him two things": Tim Wellens responds to Gilbert's World Cup criticism

Tim Wellens hasn't had it and has decided to hit back at Philippe Gilbert, who had heavily criticized him for refusing to be called up to the upcoming Road World Championships. The former world champion called the Flemish rider "totally out of touch with reality," sparking a minor controversy in the Belgian cycling community.

Gilbert, who won the rainbow jersey in Valkenburg in 2012, said riders should be "loyal, first and foremost, to their nation", questioning why Wellens should miss the World Championships, where another Belgian, Remco Evenepoel , is among the favourites for overall victory.

Speaking to Het Nieuwsblad after Wednesday's GP de Wallonie, Wellens didn't mince his words: "I was quite shocked by Phil's words. I plan to message him to understand exactly why he used those words," said the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider.

The Flemish then added a nice dig: "A pundit obviously gets more attention when he presents a negative narrative. In that sense, I'm more of a fan of Tom Boonen's approach, which often takes a more positive stance."

And his closing statement leaves no doubt about his intentions: "But once again, I'll contact Phil and tell him what I think." In short, there's a showdown brewing in the Belgian camp, with two generations of riders openly confronting each other on sensitive issues such as national loyalty and career priorities.

It's worth noting that Wellens has previously stated that, at this point in his career, he has "different priorities" than he did ten years ago. Born in 1991, Wellens has competed in six World Championships, his highlight being his crucial contribution to Wout van Aert's silver medal in 2020. He also shared the Belgium jersey with Gilbert on three occasions: 2014, 2017, and 2018.