Madiot tough on Van Gils, and surprisingly also on UAE and Red Bull: "They are here to crush the market"

Madiot sees the Van Gils saga as a troubling trend — one that is obviously worrying him quite a bit. "What’s happening with Maxim Van Gils doesn’t look good for the future. The rise of massive financial structures is not good for our relationships with what I call the traditional cycling sponsors," the 65-year-old Frenchman told RTBF. "New big players like UAE, Astana and Bahrain have entered the sport, backed by state funding. They weren’t around before, and they might not be here the day after tomorrow. Meanwhile, we still rely on loyal sponsors who’ve supported cycling for years, like the Belgian and French lotteries, Cofidis, Quick Step and others."

Traditional sponsors are finding it harder to compete with the big money that has made its way into cycling in recent years. "Our sponsors aren’t obligated to back a cycling team — it’s not their responsibility. So we need to tread carefully. I have nothing against big sponsors like Red Bull, UAE or Bahrain coming into the sport, but there needs to be at least some regulation there. Because if these giants decide to pull out some day — and they can do that at any time — what will they leave behind?"

Madiot worries that the financial power of teams like UAE and brands like Red Bull might help in the short term but could harm the sport in the long run. He also accuses some sponsors of having ulterior motives. "We’re sacrificing a lot of values for money. And beyond that, there are people with resources who are after something else. They aren’t looking for a return on investment. They’re here to make a statement, crush the market, dominate as long as they want, and then walk away. That will bring damage to the sport."

The financial power of top teams is causing many riders to chase big pay raises instead of staying loyal to their current teams. "Losing riders is part of running a team, but right now, it’s almost trendy. Almost every team is dealing with it," Madiot said with a sense of resignation. "Of course, we want to keep our riders, but often it’s just not possible. Cycling is starting to resemble football in that way, but without the financial compensation. I don’t think it’s healthy — for the teams or the riders. It’s not good."

Madiot warns that Van Gils’ decision could have serious repercussions, not just for Lotto but for Belgian cycling as a whole, and even beyond. "The Lotto Dstny team needs this rider. They signed a contract with him. I’ve put myself in their shoes — they’ve been in this sport for decades and invested money. They have an opportunity to develop a talented rider like Maxim Van Gils, but suddenly, for some reason, he wants to leave. This attitude jeopardizes everything Lotto has stood for in Belgian cycling. Today it’s Lotto, but tomorrow it could be Quick Step or someone else. I’ve seen this happen in the past. It’s still a problem."