• Sunday, July 28, 2024 at 7:10 PM
Particular The cruelty of mountain biking. Puck Pieterse had already talked about it subconsciously three days earlier than her Olympic race. “It stays only a race by which something can occur, however that’s maybe additionally the fantastic thing about the game,” Pieterse regarded forward to an important race of her life. Phrases that got here again to her like a boomerang through the Olympic race.
Within the three hours between the beginning of the Olympic mountain bike race and the second she begins her spinning-out in bins, a thousand instances extra occurs than she may ever have imagined. What Pieterse will bear in mind most is seeing a sure silver medal go up in smoke.
For 5 laps, nothing appears to be mistaken. French rider Pauline Ferrand-Prévot is in a category of her personal. Pieterse has no hassle accepting the supremacy of the house rider. She rides safely within the silver zone herself. Though she does begin to have doubts initially of the fifth lap. Is she coping with a flat tire or does it really feel ‘floating’ due to the gravel?
Puck Pieterse. Picture: Raymond Kerckhoffs
She decides to cross the primary materials zone. Looking back, that is the error she will be able to blame herself for. Nevertheless, that is wanting a cow within the ass from behind. “I had a little bit of an concept that I had a flat tire, but it surely really drove high quality. After that submit I seen that I began to slip on my total rear tire. Then you definately suppose, nice, this was my race”, she says later herself.
Nationwide coach Gerben de Knegt describes her first emotions as anger and disappointment. “With that unfastened gravel it usually appears like you’re getting a flat tire, however then it seems that’s not the case. It’s a part of the game that you must hold all the pieces intact, however that is actually bitter.”
It was not a steering error or a mistaken manoeuvre that brought about Pieterse to puncture. Though there are sufficient stones with sharp edges on the course on and across the 231-metre excessive Elancourt Hill.
“After I knew the rear tyre was flat, I hoped to get to the pits with a ten-second lead. Then there was an opportunity to affix the quantity two and three. Sadly, Batten and Rissveds simply overtook me there.”
“After I change the wheel, I lose about 25 seconds. Then you’re out of rhythm after which I make a couple of errors myself. It took at the very least half a lap earlier than I received again into it. I overtook different riders once more and within the final lap I really began to consider in an opportunity of a medal once more. Sadly, that turned out to be not attainable.”
Puck Pieterse. Picture: Raymond Kerckhoffs
That you’re not allowed to vary bikes in mountain biking, not like cyclo-cross, however should put one other wheel within the pits your self, is among the guidelines of the game. “It’s simply a part of mountain biking,” Pieterse and Anne Terpstra (ninth) refuse to criticize this rule.
Pieterse: “That is the primary time I’ve had a flat tire in a mountain bike race, whereas I could have had one flat tire in cyclocross. Apparently that is the story of a championship. There may be all the time somebody who surpasses themselves and there may be all the time somebody who ruins it for themselves. It’s the annoying, however maybe additionally the attractive factor a couple of championship.”
Intense ache
She will be able to’t react so soberly proper after the end. Then she feels the extreme ache of shedding Olympic silver fully. When she will get a hug from Queen Maxima within the blended zone, she breaks down fully. “You are solely 22, we’re extremely pleased with you,” Maxima advised her. “It will not imply something to you now,” Willem-Alexander realized. The Amersfoort lady listens to it in tears. “Your efficiency is price gold,” Princess Amalia provides. “Poor woman,” says Maxima.
The royal phrases of consolation haven’t any soothing impact at that second. Though he later says: “It is good to see how they sympathize with you. That is particular.”
Pieterse falls sobbing into Blanka Vas’s arms slightly later, whom she is aware of effectively from cyclo-cross and mountain biking. All of the efforts and feelings have affected her a lot that she has to throw up and desires some relaxation to recuperate.
Puck Pieterse. Picture: Raymond Kerckhoffs
“Everybody tells me now that I’m nonetheless younger and that my time will come. However you possibly can’t justify one thing like that,” Pieterse provides.
She shouldn’t be granted that relaxation for very lengthy, as a result of then the information reaches her by way of De Knegt that the American silver medal winner Batten drove by way of the pit on the final lap with out taking a bidon or receiving technical help. In line with the laws, this isn’t allowed in accordance with rule 4.20.001 – level 6.
Along with De Knegt, Pieterse walks to the UCI jury on the end to get an evidence. On the best way, she meets the Swedish Jenny Rissveds to whom she explains the error that Batten made. Nevertheless, it turns into clear to the jury that protesting shouldn’t be attainable. The jury claims that they themselves have already seen the incident and that they’re deliberating.
Not hopeful
“I am not hopeful,” Pieterse then tells the Dutch journalists. “However sure, it is a couple of medal. If one thing comes out, it is not as a result of we protested, however as a result of the UCI investigated the incident.”
Puck Pieterse after Olympic mountain bike race with Dutch media. Picture: Raymond Kerckhoffs
Though she instantly provides: “I ruined it for myself. When it comes to values, I feel everybody noticed that I may have taken silver. That is the colour I ought to have had.”
Not a lot later, the jury introduced that Batten could be fined 500 Swiss francs. “A penalty that’s not outlined,” De Knegt indicated. “I can’t bear in mind anybody ever being punished for this within the World Cup. Often when it occurs, it includes a rider who’s using round eighteenth place. The jury itself indicated that they need to outline the principles higher, however sure, that’s UCI gibberish. Understanding Puck, this could not have been the best way she would have needed to win a medal. However, the principles should even be adopted.”
And so, after Mathieu van der Poel’s ‘plank’ in Tokyo 2021, the Olympic mountain bike race in Paris 2024 ends in disappointment for the Dutch workforce once more.
