“Let’s go!” Puck Pieterse shouted into the microphone to her teammates after officers confirmed that she beat yellow jersey Demi Vollering in a photo-finish dash to win stage 4 on the Tour de France Femmes in a rain-soaked Liège.
It was a suspenseful couple of minutes on the end as Pieterse and Vollering stood side-by-side surrounded by photographers and journalists, ready to search out out who had gained the stage. When it grew to become clear that Pieterse had gained by a whisker, the Fenix-Deceuninck celebrations ignited. Even Vollering could not assist however present her enthusiasm, hugging her Dutch compatriot earlier than they each rolled over to the rostrum ceremony.
“It is unbelievable. In the previous few days, I had tremendous good legs. The primary day, I had good legs. On the second day, I had good legs. At the moment, I did not really feel my legs in any respect. It is all the time been good, and to win right here in a dash in opposition to Demi is a dream come true,” Pieterse mentioned.
When requested if she had all the time believed she might outsprint her breakaway companions Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) and Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) to take the win, Pieterse mentioned, “I did not know. I by no means sprinted in opposition to Demi, so I did not know the way that might go.
“I simply went with my intestine and tried to depart all of it on the market. Possibly I haven’t got a sprinter’s physique, however on the mountain bike, it’s a must to be fairly explosive, particularly within the brief observe.”
Pieterse, Vollering and Niewiadoma broke away from what was left of the sphere with 13.4km to go on the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons. Niewiadoma attacked on the ultimate run-in, however Vollering closed the hole simply as Pieterse launched her dash from the third wheel. Vollering responded and the pair reached the end line on the identical time, officers later confirming Pieterse’s victory.
“I knew they had been using for GC, and I am right here for the stage whereas I am recent. I might [play] poker a bit. I knew Kasia would assault and Demi must observe, so I simply tried to maintain a poker face and take it from a dash,” she mentioned.
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“I went fairly early, in the long run. I’ve by no means been right here, so I did not know the place the end line was. We needed to look forward to what felt like ages for the outcome however I am so glad to take the win.”
Pieterse arrived on the Tour de France Femmes straight from the Olympic Video games, the place she completed simply out of the medals in fourth place within the mountain bike occasion, distanced after struggling an premature flat time on lap 5 of seven.
“I labored up a lot for the Olympic Video games, and so when you’ve good legs there, you’ve good legs right here,” Pieterse mentioned of her efficiency in Liège.
Requested if she felt she had to decide on between mountain biking and street racing sooner or later, Pieterse mentioned her schedule this season has led to high performances in each disciplines and that he would proceed to race in each.
“For now, I haven’t got to select as a result of this suits completely into the racing block I’ve; construct as much as Olympics, then the Olympics, now this, after which two weeks after this, it is mountain bike worlds,” she mentioned.
“It reveals that you do not have to select; mountain bike and street can completely match collectively. Possibly sooner or later, it is going to be troublesome. I wasn’t on the Ardennes this season as a result of I wished to construct as much as the mountain bike; after all, it’s a must to make selections, however I feel it reveals that when you find yourself match and educated, then you may win on a mountain bike and on the street.
“It additionally reveals how excessive the extent of mountain biking is, and I’m additionally right here to symbolize {that a} bit. Subsequent 12 months, Pauline [Ferrand-Prévot] will do this as effectively and I sit up for battles together with her on the street as effectively.”
For Fenix-Deceuninck, Pieterse’s victory marks their second on the Tour de France Femmes after Yara Kastelijn gained the stage into Rodez final 12 months, the 2 victories cementing their place on the high of ladies’s biking.
“It’s so cool to see how the group has progressed over time. We began, after all, as a street group that was extra of a bunch of cyclocross riders using collectively,” Pieterse mentioned.
“We grew to become WorldTour, Yara gained a stage final 12 months, which was a large increase for the group. It confirmed that we could be there when it issues. That is the most important stage race for girls proper now. To point out it two years in a row that we could be there may be cool, and it solely units us up for the upcoming years and what’s to return.”
Pieterse mentioned she appears ahead to racing up Alpe d’Huez on the stage 8 Tour finale. She is aware of the climbing, having ridden up on August 3 and completed with a time of 52:20, the third quickest time on Strava behind Illi Gardner and Emma Pooley.
“I am trying ahead to that stage as effectively however first I attempt to recuperate and see what tomorrow and the day after brings,” she mentioned. “For a stage like [Liège], I’m completely educated for the climbs in there, however Alpe d’Huez is one thing totally different; altitude, lengthy efforts as an alternative of the six-minute efforts. It’s completely totally different, but when I had good legs right here, then who is aware of?”
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