🔥🇫🇷 | Iedereen zit er op te wachten en hij doet het ook nog. Mathieu van der Poel gaat aan, al op 46 kilometer van de meet! En wie springt er mee? Wout van Aert natuurlijk! ​🤯​🤯​ #Paris2024 📺 Stream Paris 2024 op HBO Max
Timing, defensive Van Aert and one man short: Van der Poel and Van Baarle on why gold didn't happen
CyclingSaturday, 03 August 2024 at 18:15
Mathieu van der Poel was the top favorite for gold at the Olympics in road cycling, but the Dutchman had to make do with a twelfth place on Saturday. Not what he had come for, but there was hardly any talk of disappointment afterwards. "It's a tough match," he declared to the NOS.
"When Remco went and nobody reacted, I knew it was going to be very difficult to come back. I said beforehand that he was one of the most dangerous men that you could possibly allow to take off," Van der Poel said of Remco Evenepoel's decisive attack from the group of favorites. Where the Belgian rode to the lead group and eventually soloed to gold, Van der Poel was trapped from that point on.
"Dylan (van Baarle, ed.) did well, by keeping the gap as small as possible. I then played all-or-nothing one more time on Montmartre and I got Wout with me, but of course he didn't ride because Remco was in front," the Dutch leader pointed to Wout van Aert, who reacted to everything Van der Poel did anyway. At Sporza: "That's his right of course. The second time the two of us were away again, but with Remco ahead, it made sense for him not to ride with us."
Read more below the video.
Van der Poel hoped for decision after early attack
At the first time across Montmartre, the tricky cobblestone climb in Paris on the final circuit, the TeamNL leader went for it. Van der Poel hit the pedals hard and thus initially only got Van Aert along with him. "It wasn't so bad in itself how far into the red I went on that attack. I actually thought that the race was already over there, because we rode away with four or five and had a nice gap. Then you get a completely different race, but that's racing."
That turned out not to be the case, as more riders closed in, including Evenepoel. And he smelled an opportunity. "When we were caught, Remco went for it at the right moment. Whether I'm disappointed? It's not so bad. I think I was good, but it was just a very difficult race." Or as he put it for Sporza, "There was a merging of groups and Remco jumped away from behind. That was very well spotted. A merging of groups is always dangerous. Maybe I was also a bit on the limit. He is a deserved champion."
Read more below the video.
Mathieu van der Poel
Van Baarle had to make repairs
Van der Poel put it this way: Van Baarle, after Evenepoel's attack, made sure the Netherlands still had a chance at a medal. He kept the gap playable to the front riders. The fact that the Belgians were four guys and the Netherlands were three... That cost the team dearly in that phase, Van Baarle told NOS. "Daan (Hoole, ed.) did a super job in the beginning. You just notice that you are short one guy, to alternate a bit when I was riding in the lead. That's no different. I would have liked to stay with Mathieu until the very end, but I had to shift gears quickly and knew I had to ride full throttle or Mathieu wouldn't have a chance at all."
"It's been a grueling race, so I have to let that sink in," Van Baarle also said, knowing things didn't really go as planned for him and his leader. "When Mathieu attacked the first time, I tried to pick up my own pace and come back with the group. On the second climb after that, the pack split right in front of me, so when Remco went, I just rejoined. Then I knew I had to ride full speed until Mathieu could go again."
He concludes, "You can't always take the jackpot, can you? This was quite a day, mama mia. It is super special when you start like this at the Eiffel Tower and there were already a lot of people along the course. I don't think I will experience it often again, that there are so many people standing around, even on the Montmartre climb.
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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