Saturday, July 27, 2024 at 4:35 PM
Ellen van Dijk was unable to tug off a stunt within the Olympic time trial. The Dutch lady, who was at the beginning in Paris after struggling a damaged ankle in the course of the preparations, needed to accept eleventh place. “I wasn’t ok,” she concluded afterwards on the NOS.
“It was an honest day, however not the day I hoped for,” stated Van Dijk. “I used to be additionally a bit scared within the rain. It was very slippery, you possibly can see that. I used to be further petrified of crashing once more. I feel I misplaced a number of time within the corners. That will need to have been the case for extra riders. It is not that I misplaced the time trial due to that, nevertheless it does play a job. It is a disgrace. I simply did not take part as we speak. That is a disappointment.”
Rigorously
It was raining cats and canine in Paris, lengthy earlier than the beginning of the time trial. Was Van Dijk already desirous about that rather a lot within the run-up to her time trial? “In fact, however you additionally attempt to put it apart. I’ve been biking for twenty years and have cycled within the rain earlier than, so I understand how it really works. I wished to belief that.”
“My injured leg made it further thrilling. I did not wish to take any dangers, as a result of if I fall, I can not simply unclip. How am I going to get again on one other bike? In fact it performs a job, nevertheless it’s not why I am not successful as we speak.”
No rhythm
Van Dijk went deep, however did not have a day the place you might ‘go deeper than you have ever gone’, she stated. “I discovered that troublesome, particularly due to the bends and obstacles. There have been just a few sections that have been actually straight and the place you might preserve pounding. However in a short time there can be one other threshold, bump or bend the place you needed to brake in entrance of you. Due to that I by no means actually obtained into my rhythm. I felt that in the course of the time trial. That was a bummer, however I saved combating till the end. Now I’ve to let it sink in that it did not work out.”
