Cycling ultramarathon specialist Daniel Polman additionally lost victory in the NorthCape – Tarifa extreme race. The 42-year-old Novipack native, who was the first Czech participant in the event, can count the race as completed, but without a place, after the organizer’s decision. Polman was removed from the ranking due to an alleged violation of the rules, and the winner is now the Finn Matti Ainasoja.
“I am facing a completely incomprehensible and spineless injustice. The organizer took the race into his own hands and harshly determined the order of the race. It is sad. I will not do anything about it, but we will definitely write some statement. I know what I have sacrificed for the race, I know what I have he had to overcome during it, I know that I drove from the first to the last meter fairly according to the rules. So I know who the winner is,” said a disappointed Polman on his Facebook profile.
Although Polman finished the 7,400-kilometer-long race without support first with a big lead on Thursday evening, when Ainasoj still had approximately 500 kilometers to go to the finish line in Tarifa, Spain at that time, he could only enjoy the feeling of victory until Sunday. Organizer Andreas Buchs went back on his decision, which he made after 4210 kilometers, since Polman continued the race according to his statement only conditionally, with the fact that everything will be decided definitively only after the end of the whole event.
“It is very important to me that everything is fair and that everyone respects the rules. About five hours before the start I learned that you have a private photographer with you, which is generally unacceptable and against the rules of a race that is run without support. they made the most of this situation and solved it, shortly before the start we agreed with you and your photographer that he could watch the race if he would document the entire race and not just one specific rider,” recalled Buchs in his statementwith which he explained the exclusion from the results to Polman.
2020 DVTV interview with Daniel Polman:
When I’m faced with a challenge, I don’t think about it and go for it. I only slept over an hour a day, because of the patched Czech roads I had tendonitis. | Video: DVTV, Emma Smetana
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“During the race, however, I found out that your photographer was not following our agreement. I therefore forbade you to have anyone follow you after the race passed through the Czech Republic. Unfortunately, I then saw this photographer of yours on the route between Reichenau and Bonaduz, waiting for you there. Your time in the section from Bregenz to Pico del Veleta was 10 hours slower than the fastest time on this section. You thus gained an advantage over the other competitors in the part of the race when you were accompanied by your photographer and friend,” Buchs complained to Polman – albeit indirectly – from fraud.
He therefore decided to create a new group in the results for solo riders, who will, however, remain out of the order. “The difference to a disqualification is that your splits and total time will remain visible and you will be judged as the rider who completed the race. However, you are not allowed to use the words winner, first or any similar equivalent in connection with the race. This decision cannot do not attack in any way. With respect to your performance, I believe you will understand it,” added Buchs.
He argued, among other things, that between checkpoints five (Port d’Envalira) and six (Pico del Veleta), Polman was even 17 hours slower than the fastest rider on this section. But it was during this section that Polman had an unpleasant fall, after which he was forced to seek medical treatment in Lleida and subsequently had a technical problem with the handlebars.
The draw for the 3rd preliminary round of the European Football League (first match on August 4, second leg on August 11):
Main part: Dynamo Kyiv/Fenerbahce Istanbul – Slovakia, Midtjylland/AEK Larnaca – Partizan Belgrade. Master part: Maribor/Šeriff Tiraspol – HJK Helsinki/Viktoria Pilsen, Žalgiris Vilnius/Malmö – Pjunik Yerevan/Dudelange (Luc.), Ludogorets Razgrad/Shamrock (Ir.) – Dinamo Zagreb/Škupi (Mak.), Linfield (Northern Ir.) /Bodö/Glimt – Karabach/FC Zurich, Maccabi Haifa/Olympiakos Pireus – Ferencváros Budapest/Slovan Bratislava.
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