Silver service: How duo pulled off ultimate Games heist
A heartbreaking story had a silver lining after all — 24 hours after the New Zealand men’s pursuit cycling team crashed out of what was almost certain to be a bronze medal in Tokyo, the runner-up got runner-up.
Campbell Stewart stepped up for the omnium in the place of the injured Aaron Gate and took his opportunity. And while many fans were surprised by his come-frombehind silver, I wasn’t.
Campbell has been omnium world champion before, so it’s nothing new to him. He was probably excited at the opportunity to have a crack. Going into these Games, he knew Aaron would be the one taking that spot, so being called up last-minute would have provided plenty of excitement.
The NZ team would have had a tough 24 hours before the race and Aaron going out, falling with 1700m of the 4000m race left, would have brought the team down.
Watching on your screen, you can’t know how much a crash at that speed would have hurt physically.
Imagine getting in your car and, as you are driving through town at 60km/h, suddenly fling open your door and jump out . . . That’s what it feels like to crash at high speed in the velodrome.
But unlike in that situation, you aren’t prepared for the pain when you’re riding. It happens in the moment, and you get that massive spike of adrenaline. With the burns, the pain really starts to set in when the doctors are cleaning them with iodine and a metal scrubber trying to get all the pieces of wood out. That’s when you feel the effects of the crash much more than when you’re out there.
It’s just one of the things you risk with these super-aggressive, aerodynamic positions; you just don’t see where you’re going as much.
That’s the idea, to reduce your drag.
Unfortunately, in the race on Wednesday night, Aaron got too close to the guy in front and went down.
The way Campbell picked himself back up to get silver in the omnium, however, will reverberate throughout the team and get the boys up for the madison tonight.
It’s a similar case with the women — Ellesse Andrews claiming a brilliant silver in the keirin final. In the first few rides, she would immediately go to the front and try to control the race — as there are no distractions, no fear of knocking into people and she can showcase all the horsepower she has.
The keirin final was tactically different, though. Ellesse, instead, followed the Dutch rider around and had a last-ditch attempt to get the gold. I think this was a smart move given the fatigue that would have been setting in by then.
If she had gone out in her typical fashion, I have no doubt she would have finished last, based on how the race played out. Ellesse played it brilliantly — using the other rider to get to the front, and then had a crack at the medal.
I’ve known her for a while now, and for her, it’s just about keeping her mind clear and cruising. She has the best time and it’s quite refreshing to see an athlete who performs so well and is so relaxed during that highpressure moment.
Plenty of athletes work themselves up, they’re going through processes, they’re imagining the race in their head before they go out; but Ellesse will just be chilling, chuck her helmet on, go out and race, come back and just be chilling again. I think that’s a big asset because it stops her from overthinking — which can create doubt, a plan that is too fixed, and one you can’t adjust.
In the unpredictable sport of track cycling — and especially the keirin — that is never a good idea.