Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) has said the response to his 2nd place at Amstel Gold Race last weekend had been "crazy", with the Irish rider also commenting on the drafting controversy at the the front of the race in the closing stages.
The race director's car was seen right in front of Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) as he led solo, with Healy chasing alone at 20 seconds with about 10km to go having just dropped Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers).
Healy's team principal, Jonathan Vaughters, voiced his concern about what he was seeing and race director Leo van Vliet has since come out with a strong defence of the situation, which was obviously no fault of Pogačar's.
Asked if it influenced the result of the race, Healy said: "I don't think so. If I'd caught Pogačar, I think he would have been a hard man to beat. He definitely was holding something in reserve after he dropped me and Pidcock."
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However, in an interview with Dutch broadcaster NOS, Healy acknowledged the TV images showing the car just ahead of Pogačar as the race dipped into the final 10km.
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"It's not nice to see but sometimes you just have to play with the cards you're dealt with, that was just the situation on the day," he said. "I can't be angry at anyone, it's just one of those things. Hopefully it doesn't happen again in the future and (the sport) learns from it and uses it as an example in the future."
Healy added the response to his 2nd place ride at Amstel Gold Race - the best result of his career - had been "pretty crazy".
"You don't really realise how big these races are until you do well in one and I'm a little but blown away," he said.
For his part, race director Van Vliet said the alleged drafting incident had not impacted the outcome of the event, with Pogačar riding to victory ahead of Healy and Pidcock.
"We were driving behind Tadej Pogačar and Ben Healy came closer, so you have to pass" Van Vliet told AD newspaper. "It is not true at all," he said of suggestions the car was right in front of Pogačar for 1km.
"Look at the TV images. It didn’t help him. I also raced myself. I can’t imagine that (Pogačar gained any advantage).
"Why would it do me any good to do that?” he added of the suggestion it was done so Pogačar would gain. "We were far enough ahead of him. There’s nothing wrong."
