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PARIS (Velo) — Mathieu van der Poel was fast to congratulate Remco Evenepoel for his Olympic Video games gold medal and made no excuses after getting caught in a Belgian lure in Sunday’s wild highway race.
The Belgians performed off Van der Poel’s pre-race favourite standing, and got here away with an historic gold medal double in time trial and highway race.
Evenepoel counter-attacked simply after a searing transfer instigated by Van der Poel on the primary of three laps over the Montmartre hill was neutralized, and the Dutch star shortly realized the race might be gone.
“When Remco went and nobody responded, I instantly knew that it was going to be very troublesome,” Van der Poel stated on the end line after ending twelfth. “I had already stated beforehand that he was one of many harmful riders to let go.”
Van der Poel, 29, got here into Paris because the five-star favourite, however was outmaneuvered and outfoxed by the rival four-rider Belgian workforce.
The Netherlands’ Dan Hoole did massive pulls on the entrance to regulate the race going into the closing circuits, and Van der Poel bolted clear on the steepest ramps of Rue Lepic to the delight of a cheering throng.
Belgian teammate Wout van Aert was fast to leap proper on his wheel, together with American Matteo Jorgenson, France’s Julian Alaphilippe and Latvia’s Toms Skuijiņš.
The quintet opened a decisive hole and seemed to be gone, however there was sufficient firepower behind, with Jasper Stuyven, Tiesj Benoot and Evenepoel following the wheels. to deliver again the transfer.
The Belgians set the lure, and Van der Poel walked proper into it.
“I didn’t essentially go very far into the pink there,” Van der Poel stated of his assault. “I really thought the race was made there. We rode away with 4 or 5 males, all sturdy riders. We additionally had a pleasant hole, so I believed the race would go between us.
“However once we have been caught once more, Remco went on the proper time.”
‘Remco went on the excellent time’
Evenepoel attacked excessive on the second passage moments after the Van der Poel group was reeled in. The Dutch celebrity was caught off-guard and couldn’t instantly reply.
By then, it was too late.
Dutch teammate Dylan Van Baarle piled on to maintain the hole comparatively near Evenepoel, who quickly linked to a gaggle of riders who have been already up the highway. Valentin Madouas had the legs to take a number of pulls to place the squeeze on Van der Poel.
Mathieu van der Poel checking Evenepoel’s legs! #Paris2024 #Olympics
@raykerckhoffs pic.twitter.com/A3nhMSHWP4
— Domestique (@Domestique___) August 3, 2024
This wasn’t going to be Van der Poel’s golden dream coming true.
He tried yet one more time on the ultimate passage, however Van Aert slotted into wheel-sucking mode, and the Dutchman’s final gasp was deflated.
“I did all or nothing for Montmartre yet one more time. I acquired Wout with me and he didn’t work, in fact, as a result of Remco was within the entrance,” he stated. “That’s the race scenario.”
Van der Poel didn’t appear too distraught with the Olympic miss, or no less than he wasn’t letting on publicly.
“I feel I used to be good, nevertheless it was only a very troublesome race,” stated the reigning world champion. “Remco went on the excellent time. That’s racing.”
The historic Olympic double-gold goes to Evenepoel. Van der Poel can no less than drive residence in his Lamborghini.
