Sven Kramer questions the new tactic that Norway used on Friday in the team pursuit at the second World Cup in Heerenveen. The Frisian doubts whether the approach of the team of national coach Bjarne Rykkje is allowed.
“Let me put it first: if it is allowed, then it is allowed, but I don’t know whether we should go here as a skating sport”, says Kramer. Schaatsen.nl. “More and more countries are opting for this tactic, but today we have opted for our own strategy.”
Since this season, the Norwegians have been using the tactic whereby one driver is constantly in the lead and is pushed by his two teammates. In this way, Allan Dahl Johansson, Hallgeir Engebraten and Sverre Lunde Pedersen settled in a direct fight with the Netherlands, which alternated in the usual way.
In addition, the Norwegian trio improved the more than eight-year-old track record of Kramer, Koen Verweij and Jan Blokhuijsen with 3.39.08. Kramer came with Marcel Bosker and Chris Huizinga no further than the fourth fastest time in Thialf.
Norway put one driver in the lead throughout the race.
Norway put one driver in the lead throughout the race. Photo: Pro Shots
–
–
–
‘Would be naive not to do anything with this’
After his disappointing race, Kramer wondered whether the Dutch team should also change tactics. “It would be naive not to do anything with this and as long as it is allowed, we will have to go along with it”, he realizes.
“In any case, we will have to change less, because we simply do not make a profit. In addition, we will also drive with a different line-up during the World Cup and that will also affect the final result.”
At the World Cup distances, which also take place in Heerenveen from 11 to 14 February, Patrick Roest is normally back in the team pursuit. The reigning world champion all-round prefers individual distances this weekend.
“Of course I would have liked to ride him once in the run-up to the World Cup, but I can hardly condemn anyone for something I have done myself in the past”, Kramer concludes.
– .
