Van Dijk outspoken about Uzbek team and impressed with Pieterse: "As if it all goes automatically"
Women's Cycling
Puck Pieterse rocked the women's peloton on Wednesday. The Amersfoort-born talent rode to the finish line with Demi Vollering and Katarzyna Niewiadoma and beat the previous Tour de France Femmes winner in the sprint. It is a particularly clever performance that people can't stop talking about. Ellen van Dijk (Lidl-Trek), who finished 9.38 minutes behind Pieterse on Wednesday, spoke at In Het Wiel admiring "Puck."
"No, I don't know her well," van Dijk opened. "It seems like she does everything playfully, and it all comes automatically to her, but I just checked with Shirin van Anrooij. She said that she does work very hard. I think she can give a little impression that it all goes by itself, but she also works very hard for it."
In any case, the 37-year-old hard rider is very impressed with Pieterse. "This is special. How many road races has she completed? To win a Tour stage like this is cool. She has so much more potential because she is still discovering everything. Van Dijk does not know whether Pieterse can win the Tour in the future. Still, she sees Pieterse's coming years as bright. 'Who knows in the future? It's one to remember."
"Uzbek team, not Tour-worthy"
Van Dijk was also asked for her opinion on the Uzbek team Tashkent City Women Professional Cycling Team, which saw four riders drop out in the first stage. The team could count on much criticism from many people, and Van Dijk is also very critical. "That classification is incredibly unfair. That this can happen... Many other teams would be more suitable than a team where four riders drop out on the first day. That is not Tour-worthy, of course. The Dutch time trialist had seen it coming. 'It was already known that they did this last year. So it could have already been adjusted," she concluded by being critical of the UCI rules.
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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