After narrowly missing out on a bronze medal against China, the Dutch team shared their reflections on their fourth place finish in the team pursuit competition in Milan.
Schaatsen.nl, based in the Netherlands, reports on the athletes’ reactions following the event.
Immediately following the defeat, Jorrit Bergsma, a seasoned competitor, sat beside his younger teammate Stijn van de Bunt, who made his debut in Milan. Bergsma offered words of consolation, and later praised Van de Bunt’s performance in taking the lead position for the team. “We fought hard and gave it our all,” Bergsma said, highlighting Van de Bunt’s strong contribution under debut conditions.
Both Bergsma and Huizinga emphasized the growth of their team chemistry over the past month and a half. Addressing doubts raised by journalists regarding the team lineup and the selection of Marcel Bosker, the athletes referred questions to the technical director of the Royal Dutch Skating Federation (KNSB), who was not available for comment.
Marcel Bosker himself took a more reserved role in the conversation. He responded only when directly asked and refrained from discussing how he learned of his omission from the race lineup. “I find it very disappointing for myself,” Bosker acknowledged. “I felt I had good legs and could have made a difference today.” Nonetheless, Bosker expressed confidence in his teammates’ ability to secure the bronze medal, understanding the decision made by the team management.
