The cycling leg of the women's triathlon at the Paris Olympics was marred by a spate of bike accidents on Wednesday when competitors slipped on wet cobblestones.
The conditions of the race were characterised by rain, heat and humidity, which resulted in several competitors being unable to control their bikes on several bends in the cobbled streets of Paris, as several athletes crashed and fell to the ground.
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The first athlete to fall was Manami Iijima of Guam, followed soon by Brazilian Vittoria Lopes, German Lisa Tertsch and Belgian Jolien Vermeylen.
Manami Iijima of Guam crashes while competing in the cycling race during the women's individual triathlon at the Paris Olympic Games, in central Paris, July 31. (Ben STANSALL / AFP)
“I have no words to describe the last two hours we've been through,” Australian triathlete Sophie Linn told reporters, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. “There was every adverse weather condition possible, you know, strong currents, rain, heat, humidity, etc., and the crowds.”
Some athletes even withdrew from the competition due to constant crashes, including Norwegian athlete Lotte Miller, who withdrew from the event after suffering two crashes and falling off her bike.
For the competitors who stayed until the end of the event, the constant crashes had an inevitable impact on the final results.
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Germany's Laura Lindemann crashed off her bike three laps from the end, when she was part of the leading group of 10 riders. After the crash, she never regained her rhythm.
Maria Carolina Velasquez Soto of Colombia falls to the ground while competing in the cycling race during the women's individual triathlon at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in central Paris on July 31, 2024. (Ben STANSALL / AFP)
Meanwhile, Britain's Beth Potter and Georgia Taylor-Brown were among the lucky athletes who avoided a crash and therefore entered the race in the leading group. Potter eventually won bronze. France's Cassandre Beaugrand won gold, while Switzerland's Julie Derron won silver.
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Before the event, the biggest concern about the safety of the triathlon was whether the River Seine would be clean enough to swim in. The event was even postponed by a day due to concerns about water pollution. Paris spent $1.4 billion to clean up the river in preparation for the event, but pollution levels were severely affected by heavy rain.
“It was like I had just played a very strange video game,” Linn added. “I think we got dirtier on the bike.” [than in the water]”To be honest, I had a hard time with the water coming up from the road. I tried to make sure that my position within the group was always close to the front to avoid accidents.”
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