After a challenging few weeks, I finally delivered the race I had been working towards for so long at the European Championships. Fourth place may be just short of a medal, but it still feels like a significant step in the right direction.
In my last blog, I spoke about the difficult weeks I’d been through. The breathing issues, the lack of results and the doubts that came with them were not easy to deal with. At the same time, after Andorra I felt that something had changed. The good feeling on the bike had returned, even if the result didn’t fully reflect it at the time.
At the European Championships, that feeling was finally confirmed.
Turning a Corner
From the very start, I was able to race the way I wanted and stay with the front group. It felt great to be competing with the very best again and to know that my legs were there when it really mattered. After the past few weeks, that was far from guaranteed, which makes this fourth place particularly meaningful to me.
More Than Just Fourth Place
Of course, I would have loved to come home with a medal. Right up until the closing stages, everything was still possible. Then, in the penultimate lap, a puncture forced me into the tech zone and cost me contact with the leaders. Without that setback, anything could have happened right to the finish.
In the heat of the moment, disappointment naturally takes over. You don’t get many opportunities to win a European Championship medal. But with a bit of perspective, I mainly see the positives. I was able to compete at the highest level again, I was competitive, and I proved to myself that I still belong at the front of the race.
That confidence is worth at least as much as the result itself.
Looking Ahead with Confidence
Now the focus shifts to preparing for the final part of the season. My motivation is high and I’m really looking forward to the races ahead. The biggest highlight is waiting at the end of August with the World Championships in Val di Sole (ITA).
The European Championships showed me that I’m on the right track. That’s something I want to build on over the coming weeks—with patience, hard work and the belief that there’s still plenty more to come.
Yours,
Math
