Lotte Kopecky and Fabio Van Den Bossche were unable to give our country new medal(s) at the European Track Cycling Championships in Munich. Kopecky finished just off the podium in the omnium, Van Den Bossche started 3rd in the final points race, but ended up 6th.
No 3rd European title for Kopecky
After her European titles in the elimination and the points race, Lotte Kopecky was able to start the omnium with a backpack full of confidence. In the “all-around on the track”, Kopecky was again a medal candidate, but already in the first issue of the day the fatigue was visible in our compatriot.
An 8th place in the scratch was below expectations, in the tempo race she finished in the same place. Our compatriot needed an excellent elimination race and as a brand new European champion in that part she finished 2nd. A medal was still possible.
In the unpredictable points race, the part where Kopecky is world and European champion, our compatriot rode well, but a crash of some competitors put an end to her plans.
A huge scratch on the track caused a long delay. After the repairs were done – and the competition had been able to blow out – the race could start again. In the remaining 36 laps Kopecky tried to force something, but without success. She came in fourth place.
Kopecky: “It can’t always be prize”
“It can’t be a prize every day,” Kopecky responded with a smile. “It was not to my advantage that the points race was stopped, because I am usually strong at the end. I was certainly not exhausted when the crash happened, but now everyone could recover. That was not in my favor.”
“I was 4th, so I knew that if I could take a round and win a sprint, I would compete for the medals. In the end it didn’t work out. I am nevertheless very satisfied with this tournament. less Tour with two jerseys to go home.”
Young Van Den Bossche meritorious 6th
A cautious medal heap rested on the young shoulders of Fabio Van Den Bossche. The top talent of 21 also started his omnium excellently. After a very good game he won the scratch and immediately took the lead.
Van Den Bossche had excellent legs and also put himself in the spotlight in the tempo race. He remained in the lead with a third place, the medal chances increased.
Did our compatriot feel the pressure? In the elimination, the penultimate number, Van Den Bossche was pushed away time and again. After narrowly avoiding an elimination a few times, an early exit eventually followed. With a 9th place he fell back to 3rd place in the standings.
In the points race, our compatriot had to get the job done, but Van Den Bossche couldn’t find the super legs from earlier in the day. After a nervous match he finally ran behind the facts. The gold went to the Frenchman Grondin, Van Den Bossche finished 6th after a more than creditable omnium.
| Belgians at European Championship track cycling August 15 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Senrame | 1 km time trial men | 1’04″072 (17e, out) | |
| Maxwell The Brother | 1 km time trial men | 1’03″533 (16e, out) | |
| Lotte Kopecky | omnium: scratch | 8th | |
| Fabio Van Den Bossche | omnium: scratch | 1e | |
| Lotte Kopecky | of all: temporarily | 8e (stand: 8e) | |
| Fabio Van Den Bossche | of all: temporarily | 3e (stand: 1e) | |
| 17.05 u | Lotte Kopecky | of all: afalling | 2e (stand: 4e) |
| 17.41 u | Fabio Van Den Bossche | of all: afalling | 9e (stand: 3e) |
| 18.09 u | Lotte Kopecky | omnium: points race | 4e |
| 18.45 u | Fabio Van Den Bossche | omnium: points race | 6e |
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Kopecky: “It can’t be prize every day”
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German sprint success after extremely close denouement
