Strade Bianche is a kind of races the place Kasia Niewiadoma has needed to develop into accustomed to the bittersweet feeling of repeatedly being getting ready to a long-sought after outcome however this 12 months the Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto rider needed to endure an altogether totally different kind of disappointment, a race-ending crash.
After her first fall Niewiadoma managed to get again on and proceed however the second, which occurred with simply over 50 kilometres to go within the 136km occasion, was a unique matter. Niewiadoma got here down on a sweeping descent, coming down on the left of the highway close to the barrier. Her teammates rushed to attempt to detangle her from a motorcycle which had landed on high of her and likewise one other nevertheless it quickly grew to become clear her race was executed.
“You know, as an athlete, while you prepare for therefore lengthy and spend loads of time getting ready for sure targets, chasing little particulars simply so you’ll be able to enhance, and then you definately really feel like that is it – such as you’re in form, you have got good legs – and then you definately crash out of the race, it simply seems like one thing has been taken away from you,” stated Niewiadoma in a group assertion. “Sometimes, it’s arduous to digest that over not having the ability to compete within the last as a result of the legs aren’t there.”
“So yeah, undoubtedly, being within the ambulance and never feeling nice, plus realizing that the prospect was simply taken away from me, felt very upsetting.”
The extra constructive information, nevertheless, was that after being taken to hospital the 2024 Tour de France Femmes champion was cleared of main damage and that group stated she must be “again on a begin line within the close to future”.
It is simply the second time within the 30 12 months outdated’s 11 participations on the occasion that Niewiadoma has not completed. After coming sixth in her debut in 2015, second by means of from 2016 to 2018 and third in 2019 there was then the primary DNF in 2020. That got here in a brutally scorching COVID-19 pandemic delayed version. Since then, till this 12 months, it has been all high ten finishes together with two frustratingly shut podium misses with fourth.
“I don’t really feel like I’m dissatisfied anymore, nevertheless it’s simply extra like a heartbreak – coming again right here once more and getting kicked about otherwise,” stated Niewiadoma. “I’m undecided if I’m extra upset about the truth that, once more, I used to be not capable of present what I truly signify proper now.”
However, in a later instagram post wanting again on the race which was gained by Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez), Niewiadoma was capable of embrace among the positives.
“I assume I acquired a unique perspective now! It at all times may very well be worse so I’m grateful for what I’ve acquired, on this case: fairly robust bones.”
