🚴🇧🇪 | Tim Merlier sprint naar de Europese titel in Hasselt! De Belg zegeviert in eigen huis ten koste van Olav Kooij, die eigenlijk van te ver eraan moest beginnen... 🥇🇧🇪 #EuroRoad24 📺 Stream koers op HBO Max
Silver medalist Kooij takes responsibility after European Championship: "It's also up to me to be there"
CyclingSunday, 15 September 2024 at 20:18
'Just short' was the story for Olav Kooij at the European Cycling Championship in Belgian Limburg. The Dutch sprinter likely delivered the fastest sprint of all, but had to watch as Tim Merlier raised his hands in victory beside him. This was a tough pill to swallow, as the man from Numansdorp admitted after the race with the silver medal around his neck.
The first words often weigh the heaviest, as they say. "Disappointment prevails," concluded Kooij. "It’s a bitter second place. I came on strong, but I might not have been in the right position as the sprint started. I could have made up a lot, but the finish line came just too soon. You also have some control over that," he said.
Kooij refers to the fact that he wasn’t with his countrymen in the final. With Mick van Dijke, Danny van Poppel, Mike Teunissen, and Mathieu van der Poel, he had a formidable lead-out on paper, but ultimately the Dutch riders were out of contention in the final kilometer.
Asked about the final, Kooij recounts, "I noticed that Mike was there, but we decided to wait and didn’t manage to come together to make our move. I didn’t even see Mathieu, but they were also a bit behind me, among the riders fading from the front. It was quite difficult to keep track of everything and regroup."
"I had a good kick, but Tim was fast, and it was hard to close the gap. The feeling was good, and I was close, so I’m disappointed. Last year, I was happy with my third place, but that’s not the case now. It makes it a bitter pill to swallow," he summed up.
Read more below the video!
Kooij can only conclude that the Netherlands had a good race
"We were constantly in the mix, even in the hilly sections," the sprinter complimented his aggressive teammates. "Italy and Belgium also spent a lot of energy there. It’s easy to say afterward that things should have been different, but I think we rode a very good race overall. It’s also up to me to be in a good position."
"We had a good race, especially in the middle sections," Kooij repeated. "We were always in the mix, right up to the final breakaway. In the end, everyone was fatigued, which was actually beneficial for me. I was able to stay relatively calm and felt decent, so it’s even more disappointing that it didn’t work out."
"The winner is always right, as we saw again. Tim certainly deserved to be here. I’ve raced against him many times this year, and we’ve had some great duels. There’s a healthy rivalry, but I would have preferred to see myself win," Kooij concluded.
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Latest Comments
- 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
- This is not a gravel race. UCI fail, from the surface they are on to team tactics. In what country was the first "gravel race" in what country is the most popular gravel race? Go with the race model that created the discipline.
Barnes127411-10-2024 - And don't forget he has now won 4 of the big 10 races (Grand tours, Monuments and WC/OG) in one year with a chance to make that 5. (5 has only been done once before)Joostmehrtens05-10-2024