A first: for the first time in history, the women’s team race was held at the Olympic Games. Jolien D’hoore and Lotte Kopecky started with ambitions. After her fourth place in the road race, Kopecky was especially looking for her first medal.
The riders started their team race with a blistering pace. France in particular increased the pace, but the first sprint was immediately right up the alley of the British duo Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald.
In the first half it was a search for the Belgian women, they could not score a single point. The British women, on the other hand, did not stand still and showed their superiority with the maximum of the points at every sprint. leader place.
Things went from bad to worse for the Belgians. Kopecky unfortunately fell together with the Dutch Kirsten Wild. The fall of Kopecky cost Belgium a lap behind and therefore a deduction of 20 points.
Top favorite and world champion the Netherlands then missed the British attack. This time the Belgians were on their toes and hooked their wagon into the leading group.
But there too things went wrong. Jolien D’hoore fell during the relief. The British duo did not look back and then also sprinted to victory and the gold in the last lap. Remarkable: The British won 10 of the 12 sprints.
After the fall of Wild, the Netherlands fell back completely and missed the last attack. Denmark and Russia were in on it and took 20 extra points from the bonus round. The Netherlands dropped from second to fourth place.
The silver went to Denmark, the Russians took the bronze. Belgium ends with -18 points in tenth place.
