Linda Villumsen was understandably overcome with emotion on Tuesday after winning the gold medal in the elite women's time trial at the World Championships in Richmond, Virginia. It was understandable given the fact that after so many near misses she had finally landed the rainbow jersey. After all those podium places and disappointments the New Zealander had done it. But at what cost?
Take a close look at the photos from the time trial and you’ll notice something isn’t quite right. She looks fast and aero, of course, but take a closer look at that all-black outfit and all-black bike. That last part is key because her bike shouldn’t have matched her national kit and she should have been riding her blue and white trade team Wilier time trial machine, supplied by the UnitedHealthcare team. The decision by Villumsen to defy team orders and ride a non-sponsored piece of kit almost cost her her job, and behind the stunning ride was an argument between her, her trade team and her national federation.
Mike Tamayo, who runs the UHC programme, confirmed to Cyclingnews that the management contemplated firing Villumsen after her winning ride, such was the anger at her personal choice and the difficult position it had created for the team with their sponsors.
ADVERTISEMENT
“It was discussed in order to protect our sponsors but it wasn’t something that was acted upon. We considered all of our options with all of our sponsors,” he said.
Rumours that Tamayo ripped up her contract on the spot at the Worlds, and that the management actually fired her before backtracking, have been flatly denied, while Cyclingnews has not yet been able to talk to Villumsen directly.
“We found out that she wasn’t riding our team bike on the eleventh hour. It was very last minute. Our understanding from Cycling New Zealand’s performance director was that she couldn’t get the front end of her position low enough on her team bike and that they had to use a different bike and she had to use a smaller bike that our team does not make. It was more a matter of fit than one of technology.”
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest News http://ift.tt/1NPIfwq
No comments:
Post a Comment