🔥🇫🇷 | De olympische gedachte in optima forma! Jencusova heeft materiaalproblemen en de andere koploopsters proberen haar te de heuvel over te krijgen 🧑🤝🧑🧑🤝🧑 #Paris2024 📺 Stream Paris 2024 op HBO Max
Faulkner bluffs her way to gold Olympic medal, outsmarting Kopecky and Vos
CyclingMonday, 05 August 2024 at 09:30
Kristen Faulkner has become Olympic champion in magnificent fashion! The American was one of the first to go full throttle, did the lion's share of the work in each group she was in, and after seemingly positioning Lotte Kopecky to catch up to Marianne Vos and Blanka Vas, she surged ahead for gold. The other three bluffed and sprinted in the background for the remaining podium spots. Vos took silver, Kopecky bronze.
157.1 kilometers, starting from Paris. After endless discussions about various scenarios, one came true: a breakaway full of unknown names. After Awa Bamogo from Burkina Faso briefly led, six women eventually found each other. Nora Jencusova (Slovakia) initiated it and was joined by Afghan sisters Yulduz and Fariba Hashimi, Rotem Gafinowitz (Israel), Thật Nguyen (Vietnam) and Hanna Tserakh (neutral flag).
In the peloton, new attacks were neutralized by Ellen van Dijk, who took the lead for the Dutch from the very start, keeping the pace steady. No scenario like in Tokyo, where Anna Kiesenhofer had a lot of space and took gold. The loop from Paris and back to the French capital proceeded in a status quo. Van Dijk allowed the six a maximum of six minutes, but towards the local circuit, that difference quickly decreased.
Read more below the video.
Van Dijk, Vos and Vollering had to work
As the crowds increased towards the last sixty kilometers, the riders knew they were almost back in Paris. Good news, because the road immediately went up again, and it was time to race in both the lead group and the peloton. Fariba Hashimi and Tserakh proved the strongest at the front, while in the pack, one after another tried to position themselves for the finale. Anna Henderson, Silvia Persico, Emma Norsgaard... Big names were already in the mix, and the Netherlands had to respond. Van Dijk was dropped after her hard work, leaving the task to Marianne Vos and Demi Vollering.
That went well for a long time, even though attacks continued when entering Paris. Vos also went for it once, but when we saw the Louvre 47 kilometers from the end, only Hashimi and Tserakh were still ahead, but the peloton was still complete (albeit thinned out). As Montmartre loomed, tensions rose... Let the spectacle begin!
Read more below the video.
🔥🇫🇷 | Aanval na aanval, na aanval, na aanval! En keer op keer rijdt een Nederlandse het gat dicht. De kopvrouw lijkt duidelijk, maar heel veel vrouwen kunnen nog winnen. De finale is begonnen! 😍😍 #Paris2024 📺 Stream Paris 2024 op HBO Max
Dygert's crash breaks everything apart
As they approached the Paris climb, Chloé Dygert caused a crash. The American tried to pass Swiss rider Elise Chabbey on the inside, where it wasn't possible. Both went down, but more importantly, many big names were held up. Kopecky, Wiebes and Vollering suddenly had a gap to close. Vos was ahead with Elisa Longo Borghini, Lizzy Deignan, Mavi Garcia, Liane Lippert and Blanka Vas.
Kopecky knew what to do, crisis management! She charged over the cobblestones of Montmartre and quickly got the leading group in sight. While she rejoined, Vollering stayed with Wiebes in Montmartre, trying to get her back to the front at her own pace. They received no support, making a 40-second gap seem like an impossible task. At the front, they realized that with Wiebes, the fastest woman was trailing, so they kept a strong pace. Vollering didn't gain a second, with 35 kilometers remaining until the finish.
Read more below the photo.
Le peloton arrive groupé pour le premier passage dans Montmartre ! Mais il y a une chute au pied avec l'Américaine Chloé Dygert, qui était déjà tombée lors du contre-la-montre. #Paris2024
Second time up Montmartre a breaking point for Wiebes, Vos and Vas lead at the front
With almost a 50-second gap, Vollering and Wiebes started the second Montmartre climb under some serious pressure. A crucial phase, which began poorly for the chasers due to attacks by Henderson and Garcia at the front. Vos saw the danger and chased, while Kopecky didn't have the legs. The leaders flew over the cobblestones, and Garcia's effort thinned out the group. Wiebes used the climb to go all-in one last time, joined by Kasia Niewiadoma and Swedish Caroline Andersson, but their gap grew as they reached the top. That's a wrap...
The focus shifted forward, where the winner was riding. Pfeiffer Georgi, perhaps? The Brit had two teammates, but Georgi seemed the most dangerous. She broke away, and Kopecky had to do everything to bring the group back. Nine women remained: Kopecky, Vos, Georgi, Longo Borghini, Garcia, Lippert, Vas and American Kristen Faulkner. With the leaders taking a breather as we were heading into the final 20 kilometers, British riders Deignan and Henderson rejoined. Deignan broke away, with Vos and Vas tagging along. They even pushed Deignan aside and continued together.
Read more below the video.
🔥🇫🇷 | Vos & Vas op kop! De jacht van Kopecky is begonnen! 🦊🦊 #Paris2024 📺 Stream Paris 2024 op HBO Max
Kopecky gets help in chasing leading duo
The move by Vos and Vas seemed harmless, but as Kopecky didn't immediately react and the others couldn't, the two leaders quickly gained half a minute on the chasing group. Kopecky was in a tight spot, similar to Mathieu van der Poel. Everyone looked at her, with one lap and one more climb of Montmartre to go. Kopecky then got lucky as Faulkner, Garcia, Georgi and Noemi Rüegg (who had returned to the front) helped. Thus, they started Montmartre with a 32-second gap.
Faulkner seemingly wasn't feeling her legs, going hard on the cobblestones with Kopecky in tow, closing to within five seconds of Vos and Vas. It was still a gap, with Vos and Kopecky both going to their limits. Six kilometers left, both duos alternating... Five seconds, then seven, then six again. Faulkner took massive turns and brought Kopecky into the wheel in the last three kilometers. A sprint of four? No, Faulkner went over and beyond, and as Vas seemed to close the gap, the Hungarian stopped. "You do it," she seemed to say to Vos and Kopecky. They didn't, allowing Faulkner to deservedly take the gold after an insane race. Vos sprinted to silver against the other runner-ups, Kopecky took bronze, and Vas, in hindsight, would probably have been better off continuing...
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Latest Comments
- Well explained, thanks for the clarity! Daniel DantasDanieldantas20-12-2024
- This is the kind of 'news' that belongs in a cheap tabloid. No matter how boring the offseason gets, nobody wants to read this.
santiagobenites19-12-2024 - I wish we could have seen him try. He'd absolutely get dropped before Pogi overtakes his domestiquesVeganpotter10-12-2024
- Talk is cheap! Next year barring crashes with a healthy team... all well be on track! Some need to talk to make a headline!mootman27-11-2024
- I do not see this event listed on HBO Max Sports Online? Can anyone confirm? Thanks!
MrYuck23-11-2024 - It seemed that he was focusing forward at the time of the crash, after seeing a quick video snippet. But one thing I think he should focus on more intently is breaking a bad habit he has, right now. And that is his constant looking over his shoulders. He does that so much, that I am very sure it is not good for him. Simply watch videos of the greats of CX and you will see very little of that constant looking over their shoulders. That is a behavior that betrays a bit of insecurity on his part. He shouldn't be so concerned, incessantly, about what is over his shoulder. He needn't worry they didn't all disappear. He neds to keep his focus more ahead of himself, and he needs to pay a bit more attention to himself, in a confident manner. It is very frustrating to watch, because it is apparent that he has a lot of potential, and is in much better shape thwan many of his competitors, but the mental game needs to be sharpened more, because that part of strategy plays a huge part in the final results
reemmo022-11-2024 - hahahaha love this shit! I didnt even watched the race, but reading all the gossip articles of how stupid this is!Zatoichi19-11-2024
- Van Aert is really handsome. He can influence me all day! Ditto for Philipsen. Why do you think many of us love cycling?: to see heroic attempts at climbing mountains at high altitudes or to watch speedsters sprint for the finish line or to watch a human being ride at break neck speed down a tricky descent? No, it's all about their lean physiques and muscular legs. (apologies for objectifying these dedicated and amazing athletes).BarwonHeadsUp25-10-2024
- It is unfortunate that the author can't feel the joy that Pogacar brings to the sport and his fans who are legion and I for one feel lucky to have watched such a memorable performance and historic season From the Strada until yesterday with multiple wins in stages in both tours and beyond dominance in the World's. He is proud to wear the Rainbow stripes, shows his leadership to protect his fellows and is as courteous and sportsman-like as the sport allows. He goes early to not have to respond to each attack as all the rest would make him do it. Any racer who could would do the same. Don't "grow tired" of greatness as it is always fleeting.ccrider13-10-2024
- What load of rubbish. Pog is likely a once in a generation cyclist, the like of which hasn't been seen since 'the Cannibal '. How many people were complaining that Merckx was making racing predictable? I remember this year's World RR as one of the most exciting I've watched. Mainly BECAUSE Pog was the favourite and launched what everyone thought (Pog included) was a suicidal attack with 80km to go. For the next 2 hours, I was on the edge of my seat thinking "this is too much, even for Pog". Maybe Zonnefeld prefers the snooze-fest that is a bunch sprint? Like most people I know, I can't watch two hours of the bunch riding very fast... I wait for the final 5km and watch just the sprint. In any event, most races are won from a sprint or lone break. What difference does it make who makes the lone break? Ultimately, the other contenders will have to figure out a way to beat Pog. Even if that means collaboration between teams. It's going to be an exciting few seasons, until the next Pog arrives on the scene. If this is boring, heaven knows what exciting looks like!Michael513-10-2024