Patrick Lefevere has continued to fire shots at Sam Bennett after the Irishman missed the Tour de France due to injury.
When Deceuninck-QuickStep announced its team for this year's race, the Carrick-on-Suir sprinter - who won the green jersey for last year's tour - was one of the notable omissions.
Team boss Lefevere subsequently cast some doubt about Bennett's knee injury, saying "I cannot prove that he does not have knee pain, but I am starting to think more and more that it is more fear of failure than just pain".
Sam Bennett: "I’m very disappointed to not be able to defend my green jersey. I had a very minor incident during training a couple of weeks ago, which affected my knee. It impacted my training for the biggest bike and without enough time to be race fit."
— José Been (@TourDeJose) June 21, 2021
Before the start of Monday's stage three of the tour, Lefevere continued his criticism. Bennett has recently been linked with a return to the Bora Hansgrohe team.
Lefevere continues Sam Bennett criticism
"I’m the boss. No? Clear?" Lefevere is quoted as saying by CyclingNews.
"I sent him a message. He said he was on the bike, so I supposed he would call me after but he didn’t call me. So it says a lot more about him than me.
"I don’t know if you have a boss but I learnt since I was a kid that the guy who pays you is the boss and he deserves respect. He didn’t show me respect.
"It’s more a pity for him than it is for me. If you fight like a devil and cry like a child because Bora-Hansgrohe treat you wrong and then after nearly 14 months you sign with the team again it says more about him than it does about me. I have balls, he doesn’t."
Asked Bennett if still part of the team's plans, Lefevere gave a warning.
“If he behaves himself he will race," he said.
"If not, then three months less riding and 50 per cent less salary."
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