This Saturday, the Olympic time trials are scheduled to take place in Paris. The Netherlands does not have a medal contender among the men this time, but it is a different story for the women. Ellen van Dijk and Demi Vollering are representing Dutch pride, and they are, of course, very enthusiastic about it. On social media, the two were hyping themselves up for the time trial, while Van Dijk's entourage came out with some surprising news. Van Dijk posted a photo that was taken exactly one month ago. "That was the first time I rode outside again after my fall. It was a risk, but I knew I had to take risks to be in shape in time for the Olympic Games. Now that I am actually in Paris, I realize how big this challenge is. Every second of the day I thought about my ankle, but now I am so happy to be here. I am going to give it my all, and then we will see what it’s worth."
Read more below the photo.
The Dutch rider rode - in a time trial position - on a trailer in Spain, which meant that she only knew she could participate ten days before the Games. "From the moment of my fall, I knew what I had to do: prepare myself for the Games. It was an intense period, where I took things day by day and got a little closer to my goal each time. I am grateful for the space the KNWU and coaches gave me to go through this process, and I was in very good hands with the medical staff as well," she said about her compromised preparation for Paris.
Her partner, Benjamin de Bruijn, revealed on the morning of the time trial via X that Van Dijk had many more injuries than just a broken ankle. "Ellen not only had a broken ankle, but also a broken right foot, a broken finger, a muscle hernia in her thigh, and deep cuts in her legs that required 24 stitches," he shared.
"Four days after the surgery, she was back on the bike. Indoors, of course, with a cast. She did sessions of 5 minutes of pedaling, 5 minutes of rest. The ankle did not respond, so she extended it a bit each day. From a total of 20 minutes to 3 hours. All still with the cast. Thirteen days after the surgery, the cast could come off, and she could wear a normal cycling shoe again. She immediately went over 3 hours and tried to put more and more power on the right leg," he continued.
"A few days later, she went outside. I found it terrifying, but she was going crazy indoors. Besides, if she wanted to go to the Games, she had to take some risks and get back on the bike naturally. She hasn't skipped a single day in the past two months. Every step in the process she completed faster than expected. Today she is going to give it her all and finally bring this bizarre rollercoaster to a stop. I've tried 16 times now, but I can't find the words to express how proud I am of this woman," De Bruijn concluded.
Vollering is not sure where she stands for the time trial
Vollering is also excited. "The Olympic Games are an important goal for me. As preparation, I did a high-altitude training camp in Brides-Les-Bains. There, I was only focused on training, eating, sleeping, resting, and recovering. Everything to be in optimal shape at the start of the Olympic Games. It's difficult to assess my chances. For the time trial, I'm not exactly sure where I stand, but the top five is definitely within reach," said the SD Worx-Protime rider.
Like the other riders, Vollering did a reconnaissance of the fast course in Paris, which she recorded on camera and shared with her
Instagram followers.
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