In the long run sport of the Paris Olympics ladies’s street race, Blanka Vas (Hungary) seemed to be set to safe a minimum of a silver medal when she escaped with Marianne Vos (Netherlands) within the ultimate 20 kilometres, however within the final 5km, Kristen Faulkner (USA) and Lotte Kopecky (Belgium) caught the duo.
After Faulkner escaped and rode to victory, Vas was left having to dash for the medals towards two of the most important names within the sport – however completed fourth by millimetres within the picture end behind Vos and Kopecky.
There was a mixture of unhappiness and pleasure within the 22-year-old’s eyes as she instructed Cyclingnews, “It was shut so it is painful. Once more the fourth place.”
Vas has notched up some huge outcomes each in cyclocross and on the street, profitable phases within the Tour de Suisse and Giro Donne in 2023, and profitable the under-23 title on the UCI Highway World Championships in Glasgow final yr.
Nonetheless, she referenced a distinct fourth place, her equally shut end on the 2021 Highway World Championships in Belgium.
Ending out of the medals was heartbreaking however Vas regarded on the brilliant facet. “I feel I have to be completely satisfied as a result of I used to be within the ultimate. It was an thrilling race, I used to be on a regular basis within the entrance… I nonetheless have some years to enhance. I am nonetheless younger so it is a huge motivation once more for the longer term.”
To her rivals in Paris, Vas is hardly an unknown. She and Vos have been pleasant rivals in cyclocross and, she recalled her first main success in 2019 in Essen.
“I bear in mind in my first cyclocross podium in Belgium, I used to be second behind Marianne Vos, so this was in my head, possibly now, I can go and do it once more, simply within the Olympics. Sadly, not however in cyclocross, we’ve got been combating collectively, and I had the identical feeling [here] – it is simply so particular to experience along with her.”
Her fourth place was much more outstanding in that Vas began the race with out teammates, whereas Vos and Kopecky each had three teammates and Faulkner one.
“I got here to the race with out stress. I simply wished to get pleasure from it – I had some wheels in my head, for instance, Marianne’s and Lotte’s wheel. And I used to be like, possibly if I am there, I wish to observe them. So this was my objective. I feel I have to be completely satisfied as a result of I might observe them, and it was a very arduous race. I simply want extra expertise.”
Vas will proceed to realize expertise and rise via the ranks with SD Worx-Protime, having signed a contract extension via 2027.
