Julie Van de Velde is disappointed after 22nd place in World Cup time trial

After a good European Championship, Julie Van de Velde hoped for a top performance in Australia. It did not work. “I couldn’t pedal my predetermined wattages on the way. That was annoying. I didn’t have the power in the legs that I needed. It was really hard on the way. Especially because of the many bends in the course. After every bend you have to restart accelerating and that makes it difficult to get back into your rhythm.”

The women covered the same distance as the men’s elite in Wollongong, Australia. “Never before have I completed such a long time trial”, Van de Velde continued after her race over 34.2 km. “I felt that in the legs. I gave everything I had in me, but the feeling was not great on the way and that is frustrating that you can’t kick the values ​​you want. I am disappointed with this result.”

The Dutch Ellen van Dijk succeeds herself as world time trial champion. She completed the 34.2 km with start and finish in Wollongong, Australia in 44:29 (average 46.13 km/h). She was 12 seconds faster than the Australian Grace Brown. The Swiss Marlen Reusser took bronze at 41 seconds. For 35-year-old Van Dijk it is her third World Cup gold against the clock. The Dutch became world champion for the first time in 2013 in Florence, Italy. Last year she took the world title in Bruges.