Star triathlete Taylor Knibb (USA) had a disaster of a day in the women’s time trial at the Paris Olympics as she saw what was due to be a strong time ruined by crashing several times and her mechanic even falling over as she tried to change bike.
Knibb, who was somewhat of a wildcard competitor as a non-road cyclist by trade, made a flying start as the eighth rider down the start ramp in Les Invalides, setting the fastest provisional time at the first intermediate time check with a 16:37. This proved faster than the likes of Ellen van Dijk (Netherlands) and Audrey Cordon-Ragot (France) who started after her.
However, disaster struck just a few kilometres past the time check, as the same corner which saw Denmark’s Cecile Uttrup Ludwig come unstuck, also did for Knibb. She slid out but bounced to her feet, only to crash for a second time just moments later and then again in the subsequent corners.
“We can count them: number one, I [crashed] going around the roundabout, got up and went into the motorbike immediately. So is that one or two? Then I went around on a turn, I think I went down a third or fourth time, I guess, and then I changed my bike” said Knibb in surprisingly good spirits to reporters including Cyclingnews at the finish.
“My coach told me before my last time trial, and it's very ironic because he's like, ‘Taylor, you do not want to try to go around the corner too fast and end up falling down, because that'll make you go slower’, obviously. So I didn't really heed his advice, super, super well, but you get up and you keep going.”
Knibb wasn’t the only rider to go down as the treacherous course claimed many victims, however, she certainly had the worst time of it, with her brakes failing and prompting a bike change where her mechanic even slipped over as they went to change bike.
The woes continued for the triathlete as she navigated the slippery roads through the Bois de Vincennes park, which had been turned into an ice rink thanks to the rain falling for all of Friday night and Saturday morning, crashing for another time.
Knibb’s pace dropped and the brake that followed the three spills was the nail in the coffin to her chances of putting in what looked like it was going to be a solid time. This was where her mechanic slipped, dropping her chain in the process and summing up a day of rotten lock
“The middle one [time check], that's where it all went wrong and then the third one - it was more survival than anything else,” said Knibb.
With the confidence now knocked and a good time off the menu, Knibb soldiered on to the finish valiantly but wouldn’t set the fastest time, losing all of the 30-second advantage she had from Marta Lach (Poland) at the intermediate check in the final 20km to take provisional second with all the favourites to come.
“I was fully blind, so you have to go on, my Garmin fell off on the first one so I'm like, ‘well, here we go’. So it was an experience,” said Knibb, who wasn’t downbeat at all on time trialling after the miserable day out.
“And I think one thing I've learned in my triathlon career, and even with my short three-race time trial career, is that I love learning. That definitely makes me hungry, and I'm excited to continue this sport, hopefully.”
The best part for the 26-year-old, who finished 19th, was her experience with World Champion and eventual bronze medallist Chloé Dygert and thee-time Olympic time trial Champion Kristin Armstrong as part of Team USA’s cycling squad.
“I love where I am in terms of shape-wise, fortunately. so it was a fantastic experience, I think just being around Chloé [Dygert] and Kristen Armstrong is here as one of the coaches,” said Knibb.
“So just this past week, I feel like I've gotten a crash course in time trialling. You have two of the best female cyclists of all time that you get to learn from.
“It's just been a tremendous opportunity and regardless of what happened today, I hope to continue the sport, but who knows, I might not be allowed back,” joked the American.
Knibb will now turn her attention to her home event as she gets back into triathlon mode for the Women’s individual race on Wednesday July 31 and team relay on August 5.
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