Marion Rousse, director of the women's Tour de France and partner of Julian Alaphilippe, has responded to comments by Soudal-QuickStep team boss Patrick Lefevere, telling him to show more class and respect.
She also said it was "unacceptable" for Lefevere to attack her's and Alaphilippe's private lives and that she would not allow him to do so, or allow him to in any way influence her life. The response follows comments Lefevere made in Belgian magazine HUMO.
Lefevere - who is Alaphilippe's boss at Soudal-QuickStep - bemoaned the French rider's poorer form and results in recent seasons, saying he drank too much alcohol, went to too many parties and was under the "spell" of his partner, Rousse.
However, while some of the rider's criticised by Lefevere down the years have not responded to him, Rousse has taken a different approach. She has critiqued and rebutted his comments. And given her standing in pro cycling - including being a former French champion - the controversy could grow for Lefevere.
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"Whatever Mr Lefevere's feelings towards me, it is unacceptable to attack our private lives as he is doing," Rousse said in a post in Instagram.
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"So no, I don't drink alcohol, ever. Missed for the holidays too because with a 3-year-old we prefer to be in shape in the morning.
"You will not succeed, either, as you have already mentioned to me, in stopping me from working to keep myself busy and stay close of Julian during his career.
"The projects I carry out fascinate me and know that I have lots of projects. But I tell you, under no circumstances will I allow you to talk about my private life. Please now stop talking indiscriminately and show more respect and class."
In his remarks, Lefevere had said: “Too many parties, too much alcohol… Julian is seriously under the spell of Marion (Rousse), maybe too much. Julian is a young dog full of energy.
“You should let him cross in the yard every now and then. And you must also say: this far and no further. There is still a bad boy inside him.
“I spoke to him in November last year, in the presence of Marion and his manager Dries Smets. I said: ‘It cannot continue like this. If you mess up one more time, I’ll fire you on the spot.’ The message has arrived. He is getting back together.”
