The Dutch team pursuit squad trained together for only twenty minutes at Thialf, marking their first and likely last joint session before the upcoming World Cup event in Milan next month.
NOS, a Dutch news outlet, reports on the minimal time the riders had to prepare as a unit ahead of their competition.
Chris Huizinga, speaking after the short training, emphasized the importance of any shared moments on the ice, stating that each opportunity increases their chances of success. Alongside teammates Stijn van de Bunt and Marcel Bosker, Huizinga aims to secure a medal at the Milan event. The Royal Dutch Skating Federation (KNSB) has assessed that their prospects of medaling in the team pursuit are higher than those of the third individual 1,500-meter qualifier, influencing their decision to send Bosker to Milan instead of Tim Prins, who expressed strong disappointment over the choice.
The trio faces challenges in their preparation due to racing for different professional teams—Van de Bunt with IKO-X2O, Huizinga with Essent, and Bosker with Reggeborgh. Each squad maintains distinct schedules, limiting opportunities for joint practice. Currently, Huizinga is preparing in Collalbo, Italy; Bosker is training in southern Spain with Reggeborgh; and Van de Bunt remains in the Netherlands. They are not expected to reunite until the World Cup in Inzell later this month.
While the European Championships in Tomaszów, Poland, provided no platform for the three to compete together, the Dutch team chose to enter a makeshift trio instead. Huizinga anticipates that their main coordinated training sessions will take place at the Olympic venue in Milan shortly before the competition, allowing them to fine-tune their strategy and teamwork.
The brief joint session at Thialf was also affected by Van de Bunt’s illness on the initial day they planned to train collectively, limiting their ice time. During Thursday’s practice, the skaters worked on positioning and rhythm, attempting a relay-style approach to optimize exchanges and pacing. Huizinga reported they aimed to establish Van de Bunt in the second position within the formation, replacing Beau Snellink who previously skated that role. Huizinga intends to lead, with Bosker skating third, to minimize changes during the race.
Despite the fragmented preparation, Huizinga expressed confidence that the team can gel in a few weeks, recalling previous successful pursuits alongside Bosker and noting that only Van de Bunt is new to this combination. He believes that the natural course of competition and targeted training in Milan will solidify their performance as a unified pursuit squad.
