Jorrit Bergsma secured a gold medal at the latest Olympic Games, marking his second time on the podium 12 years after his first Olympic title in the ten-kilometer event.
Schaatsen.nl, a Dutch sports news outlet, reported on Bergsma’s remarkable victory.
Bergsma described the achievement as difficult to comprehend and almost unbelievable, noting that when he stood on the podium, he had to pinch himself to confirm it was real. The Dutch athlete had previously taken bronze in the ten-kilometer race at these Games, but this time he claimed the top spot.
Early in the race, after two laps, Bergsma abandoned his original plan and decided to take control instead of waiting for other competitors to attack. He avoided the usual long lead-up to the bell lap, a phase generally favourable to sprinters such as Bart Swings, Andrea Giovannini, and Jordan Stolz. Instead, Bergsma accelerated from the rear of the pack, passing all riders on the outside at speed.
Only Viktor Thorup managed to follow Bergsma’s move, while the rest of the field was caught off guard by the tactic. Bergsma had anticipated that Giovannini, Stolz, and Swings would be hesitant to take the lead, expecting one of the others to do so. This hesitation left the race without a clear frontrunner. While Bart Swings’ teammate Indra Médard tried to close the gap, it was insufficient to reel Bergsma back in.
The duo quickly gained a half-lap lead over the other contenders. During this time, Stijn van de Bunt disrupted the peloton behind them. Bergsma eventually dropped Thorup and crossed the finish line with his arms raised, celebrating a dominant victory.
