Roy Boeve, team leader for Bart Holwerf, emphasizes Holwerf’s consistent international performances and advocates for a clear selection process for the Olympic mass start event.
According to Schaatsen.nl in the Netherlands, Roy Boeve highlighted Bart Holwerf’s achievements over the past four years, noting Holwerf’s loyalty and regular podium finishes during the winter seasons on the international stage. Boeve pointed out that the point totals in recent World Cup seasons for both Holwerf and teammate Jorrit Bergsma are close—431 points for Bergsma and 390 for Holwerf—underlining their joint contribution to success in the mass start discipline.
Boeve also addressed criticisms of the mass start event, stating it is sometimes undervalued despite its top ranking in the selection matrix. He stressed that the strong results achieved by Bergsma and Holwerf have propelled the mass start to its prominent position. Boeve argued against comparing the mass start to individual distance events like the 1500 meters or 5000 meters, noting that the dynamics are different and that the mass start allows for different strategies where being the top individual distance skater is not always necessary to win a medal.
While Boeve did not explicitly call for Holwerf’s inclusion in the Olympic team, he advocated adherence to the selection matrix based on factual performance. He remarked that Holwerf and Bergsma statistically offer the best prospects for winning gold in the mass start at the Milan Games and emphasized their role in elevating the event’s importance in Dutch speed skating.
