On behalf of Team SD Worx there were five riders at the start, divided over five different countries, namely: Anna Shackley (GB), Karol-Ann Canuel (CAN), Christine Majerus (LUX), Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) and Anna van der Breggen (NED).
Already at the first measuring point we saw an unleashed Annemiek van Vleuten. Van der Breggen passed third at the first and second measuring point, at 9.7 and 15 kilometers. In the last meters of the course it was still exciting whether she could beat Marlen Reusser, but the Swiss turned out to be six seconds faster and won the silver medal.
“It’s my third Olympic medal, and I’m happy about that. I might have hoped for more. My goal was a gold medal of course. I soon felt that this was not my day. I didn’t reach the wattages, and it just didn’t feel like the last time trials. A bummer! I did everything I could and fought to the end and in the end it was another medal. That was actually not too bad for me, because it just didn’t go very well in my opinion,” Van der Breggen told NOS after the finish.
When asked why things weren’t going well, she responded: “Some days you can go very deep, I just couldn’t go any harder now. It sounds stupid, but some days you’re just better. You’re just hoping for your best day here and I didn’t have one.”
“My preparation was good. I felt good. I’ve had enough help and everything ran smoothly so that’s not the issue. I should have just cycled faster and that was not possible today. I was actually surprised that it was still bronze. But I am certainly very happy.”
Van der Breggen is now going on holiday: “After that, we’ll see which races I still drive. I do want to go to the World Cup in Belgium, but mainly in service for the girls who have ridden for me for years.”
Photo credits: Getty Sport