Fabio van den Bosch and Lindsay De Vilder failed to win a medal in the team sprint at the Olympics. The Belgian duo were busy in the first stage, but then couldn’t play on the marbles and finished 11th. The Madison turned into a fiery crash-fest in which the Portuguese proved to be the best frogmen. They won for Italy and Denmark.
“This was probably the most confusing team race I have ever seen.” “That’s what commentator Renate Schutte said after the turbulent Olympic team race,” he said.
Perhaps we expected this, because Austria unexpectedly took a winning lap on the opening stage. Gifts are not usually handed out at the Olympics. A harbinger of an atypical race on the sweltering racetrack of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.
What followed was a competition that was completed at an amazing pace thanks to the large number of participants. Fabio van den Bosch and Lindsay de Vilder played well at the beginning and also managed to get the points.
But the Belgians – like most countries – could not continue their efforts. In the middle of the race, Italy and Denmark opened the real debates by winning a rare round. Later, the winner was Portugal, who won important points without any problems.
And then there was chaos.
It began with a British plane crash caused by the Dutchman Jan Willem van Schip. Later, the French and Italians – the leaders at the time – identified the French prosecutor’s office.
The Belgians also shared in the frustration. Lindsay De Vylder fell high into the track and was then hit by a Spanish teammate who could no longer avoid him. A painful fall marked this match.
The extreme heat of the racetrack may have played a crucial role in the hype.
In all this chaos, the Portuguese proved to be the coolest frogs. Leitao and Oliveira got a winning lap at the end and also took the win in the final race. Enough to take the gold medal.
Italy and Denmark completed the podium after a crazy Olympic team race.
Frustrated Belgians hug each other after the team race:
Lindsay DeVelder: This is just coming up.
Lindsay De Vilder and Fabio Van Den Bosch feel disappointed after the team race. The Belgians expected more from their match. “I’m very disappointed with my route,” he opened. de velder“You work on this for 3 years and then you don’t have the capacity to do it when you need it to happen. It takes time.”
However, it started promisingly for our compatriots. “We were okay in the first half of the race,” said De Vylder. “I felt we were in it, but it was difficult to win the sprints. I didn’t have the power to start.”
“I had the feeling that I had fired some big arrows at the start. The teams that stayed at the start were also favoured later in the race. After that we weren’t in the right place when we needed to be, it was a tough race,” he said. Van Den Bosch Who felt it was unfortunate that he could not award a medal to his teammate.
Towards the end, the Belgians’ match was shocked by a serious fall from De Wilder: “I don’t really know how anymore. That’s enough. I was a complete block. It was a tough match and in the end the strongest won.”
However, our compatriots ended on a positive note, with praise for Belgian cycling. “The right people have been put in the right place in Belgian cycling and this has led to great results. It is a pity that we cannot confirm this now, but I am convinced that great things are to come,” concluded De Vilder with hope.
Related to:
Portugal wins Olympic gold in team race
Gold for Portugal!
The Portuguese play by surprise and shoot for victory in the final race. Leitao and Oliveira can call themselves Olympic champions. Silver goes to Italy and bronze to Denmark. Lindsay De Vylder and Fabio Van den Bossche finished 11th.
4 more laps
Portugal is two points ahead of Italy. Denmark is in third place, four points behind the leader.
It will be a battle between Portugal, Italy and Denmark for the medals. The final race should provide a definitive answer!
Portugal takes the lead!
In the midst of all this chaos, Portugal have won the match. They take over from Italy. Difference: 2 points. 8 more matches!
– 20 points for Belgium
The Belgians can forget about the medal. They lose one lap to the peloton which means a 20-point deduction.
Italy also does not stay straight
Italy also on the ground
Our words were not yet cold when the Italian change took a turn for the worse. Consonni was pulled by Viviani and brought onto the track. What a mess!
Lindsay De Vylder has reached a dead end.
Val de Velder!
That’s not true! Lindsay De Vilder has fallen. What a fall. The Spaniard couldn’t avoid our compatriot and flew over the parquet.
Britain in chaos
New Zealand Gold
New Zealand and Portugal lead the peloton. If the Kiwis can get around, they will jump to the lead. The Italians must now respond, with 29 laps to go.
Bronze for Czech Republic
It slipped our minds for a while, but in the clashes, the Czechs won a winning round. That means they won the virtual bronze medal. What a battlefield!
Faction in pieces
The species is no longer recognizable. New Zealand is opting for open water and other countries are taking their chances too. Not good news for the Dutch who are still around.
Netherlands chooses the right moment to attack
Netherlands attack
There are world champions in the team race. Havik and Van Schip pick the right moment and take a half-lane lap. They also take care of the intermediate race.
It doesn’t look good for the Belgians. Van den Bosch and De Wilder are eighth in the standings.
The Italians are now aligning their course with Denmark.
Renat Shoti
Larsen and Morkov took another 3 points in the intermediate race and moved to within 5 points of the Italian leader. The Belgians trailed with 67 laps to go.
Japanese attack
The Japanese join the fray. They immediately get half a round as a gift, and with a short effort, they score a winning round, thus 20 points. Virtual bronze for Japan!
temporary arrangement
With 90 laps remaining, this is the standings:
1) Italy: 42 points
2) Denmark: 32 points
3) New Zealand: 16 points
4) Spain: 13 points
5) Germany: 10 points
6) Belgium and Australia: 9 points
Danish Winning Tour
Denmark jumps to second place Morkov and Larsen walk around and collect 20 points. The gap with leaders Italy is 8 points. Belgium is in fifth place with 9 points and still on track for bronze at the moment.
France and Spain counterattack
After the Italian tie, other countries see their chance. Denmark is also still looking for a winning round.
Italy takes the tour
The Italians have to fight in the final metres, but eventually join the peloton. Result: Italy with 40 points is 29 points ahead of first-placed Spain.
The Danes react with Michael Morkov and break away behind the Italians. De Vylder and Van den Bossche also accelerate briefly, but their legs remain planted. The Italians are still far behind.
The question is: who will lead behind the Italians?
Renat Shoti
Italy leak
Now the Italians have managed to gain a few dozen metres. Viviani looks back and sees a bit of slack in the peloton. There may be something to this. Lap or not, Italy takes the lead after taking charge of the sprint.
New Zealand Attack
It’s going very slowly for the New Zealanders, who are pressing on straight away after the race they won. Again there’s a reaction from the suit and no one is running away. The Belgians are currently sixth.
The riders completed 65 laps out of 200 and did not stop at any point. Now there is a small moment where the riders can take a break.
Elia Viviani puts his nose to the window again in race six. The Italians take the lead, but the gaps are small. Which country dares to attack?
A losing round for Austria
Austria are no longer the leaders. They are on a losing run, which has seen them lose the 20 points they had previously. This means that Portugal are in the lead, followed by Belgium and Australia.
Reply Van Den Bosch
The Belgians are lured out of their room by a Spanish attack chasing the Portuguese. In the next intermediate race they gain another point.
Belgians are very active in this initial stage.
Renat Shoti
2 points
De Vylder and Van den Bossche once again picked up some valuable points. With 6 points they are currently sharing second place.
Germany signs New Zealand plane crash
Italy is also notable. Elia Viviani leads in the third race and collects 5 points. The Belgians did not finish in the top four, so no points for De Velder and Van den Bosch.
The fall of Germany
Meanwhile, the Germans have been handed over to the French prosecutor’s office. They were involved with the New Zealanders in the plane crash. Not ideal to start a team race in this way.
Race 2: Point for Belgium
De Vylder and Van den Bossche took one point in the second race and are currently third in the standings.
Tour to Austria
The Austrians made the call after only 16 rounds of competition. This means they will get 20 points and immediately take the lead with a total of 25 points. Be careful!
3 points for Belgium
Lindsay De Vylder immediately goes ahead in the first race: 3 points for the Belgians. The Austrians win the first race and can add 5 points to their names immediately.
The start has been given!
Immediately it is the Austrians who give up the lap and start looking for the lap. Rafael Cocas and Maximilian Schmidbauer play by surprise and quickly advance the peloton.
Whoever wins here tonight won’t be a pie.
Renat Shoti
It’s almost the Belgians’ turn. Can Fabio van den Bosch and Lindsay De Vylder secure their first team medal since 2000?
No, it’s not a good idea
Great Britain will have to do without Ethan Hayter in the team race. The Briton nearly crashed during the team chase on Wednesday and suffered a muscle injury. Mark Stewart will now race in the team race with Ollie Wood.
In addition to the team race, the programme includes the first round and repechage rounds in the men’s keirin, as well as the 1/8 finals and repechage rounds in the women’s sprint.
Fabio van den Bosch in action again
On the penultimate day of these Olympics, Fabio van den Bosch will once again take part in the track cycling race. The Omnium bronze medalist will ride the team race with Lindsay De Vylder. Can they give Belgium another medal? The team race starts at 5:59 p.m.
“Subtly charming internet specialist. Avid writer. Friendly alcohol guru. Music ninja. Devoted social media fanatic.”
More Stories
End of Vuelta ordeal: Belgian hope Lennert van Eetvelt out of Tour
This was a powerful opening ceremony for the Paralympics, steeped in symbolism and French charm.
Mathias Delorg helps KAA Gent reach sixth straight European group stage