Kristian Blummenfelt reacts to pro cycling rumours

The last time Kristian Blummenfelt raced a mixed team relay before yesterday in Paris he was trying to help Norway qualify for the Tokyo Olympics more than three years ago.

On that occasion, racing alongside great friend and training partner Gustav Iden, the quartet just missed out on a slot. In France, with Vetle Thorn in for Iden, they’d finally made it. 

There was only ever an outside chance of a medal and at least an eleventh place finish was one place higher than Blummenfelt achieved in the individual event, where he’d not managed to defend his Olympic title (Team GB’s Alex Yee took the gold in that race).

“It was quite fun to have the intensity of a mixed relay again,” the 30-year-old said, in what could prove to be his last Olympic Games. “I enjoyed the bike course and the run course, but it was tricky with the [current in the] swim.”

On loops that were shorter than the individual races, meaning fewer viewing spots, the crowds were again tightly packed. 

“I felt it was more intense in the individual race because then I had some French [athletes] around me, and then the crowd goes crazy,” Blummenfelt continued. “But it was still spectacular being out there.”

Having stated that he’ll next head to Frankfurt to validate his spot for the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii, he still wouldn’t be drawn on his future plans. Had he signed a pro cycling contract?

“No. We will see what the future brings. First, it’s a focus on Ironman in October, and then we will see.” 

But he did confirm he was inspired by watching the men’s cycling road race on Saturday, won in blistering fashion by Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel.

“We had actually just finished a swim session at the pool which is just next to the course,” he added. “I looked out of the window and saw the second pack.” Could he see himself being in that peloton in the near future? “We will see.”

Vasco Vilaca weighs in on triathlon mixed relay crash

Another athlete wowed by the crowds in Paris, was Vasco Vilaca. The 24-year-old Portuguese would leave the city with two fifth place performances and the experience to deliver more in Los Angeles in four years, even the possibility of adding to Vanessa Fernandes’s bronze from 2008 as his nation’s solitary Olympic medal.

“It just doesn’t get much better than this,” Vilaca said. “The best venue to race at with the best support. I think the relays make it even more special, a shorter course and even more people around the whole bike leg. I really loved it. I could hear my parents cheering for me as well. On Wednesday I couldn’t, so that was quite special.”

With Vilaca preparing to take on the third leg, he didn’t see Hayden Wilde’s crash that also brought down Pierre Le Corre and ruined the chances of the French favourites, but had mixed feelings on the conduct during the bike leg. 

“It’s racing, but surely at the Olympics the athletes should be a little bit more careful,” he added. “It’s not worth it for one second [gain] to crash. I heard some athletes were a little bit dangerous taking the corners and that’s how crashes happen.

“But it’s a short race and you want to go for every second and I understand that sometimes you make mistakes.”

Wilde stated that he was taking evasive action to avoid another rider and that led to his front wheel slipping out. 

Laura Lindemann on getting “revenge” with her Olympic gold medal

One athlete who put a bike crash firmly behind her was Laura Lindemann. The former junior and Under-23 world champion went down in the later stages of the individual event and it cost her the chase of competing for a medal.

Five days later she anchored the German team to mixed relay gold calling it a “good revenge”. 

“It was very special. The whole team worked perfectly. The team did such a great job to put me in the right position and I had to bring it home,” she said.

“I put everything out there and was hoping it was enough. I was afraid to look back because I knew it was very close, but I’m super happy.”

Lindemann also had the edge on the kick in the test event, again out-kicking Beth Potter, and has built a reputation as an athlete to be feared if it comes down to a sprint. 

“I’m not really working on it, I just found out I can do it very well. I also just believe in it and think that’s part of it too.”

By the time we arrive in Los Angeles in four years time, the men will be back on the anchor leg. It would mean Lindemann would be 36 in Brisbane if she wanted to relive yesterday’s glories.

“I enjoy being on the last leg, but I think maybe that was my last time. To end it like this is great. It will have a big impact on the sport in Germany and makes me incredibly proud and happy.

“All I want to do in sport is reach people and to make [young people] start triathlon. It’s amazing we can have that impact.”