A killer look for a legendary comeback. Mathilde Gros had the best legs on Friday evening at the Saint-Quentin velodrome, but it took more to overturn a badly started semi-final against the reigning world champion. So the Frenchwoman decided to get into Emma Hinze’s brain by staring her straight in the eye. The gaze, of intense violence, would not have made a mark in a good old western and we only regret that the scene was not filmed by Clint Eastwood. With our national Matoche in the role of the villain. The one who crushes the pedals and her opponents for a piece of world gold in individual speed, the first of her young and already brilliant career.
The final was quieter. Two dry runs to overcome another German, Lea Sophie Friedrich, a spectator of her own sinking against an opponent who was already far too strong despite her young age. 23 years old isn’t much, especially for an athlete you feel like you’ve known for ten years. The lot of precocious talents. But his joy in the mixed zone, the smile from ear to ear, the stars in his eyes, and the enthusiasm of the speech are obvious signs of freshness.
Paris 2024, the ultimate goal
“I think I’m going to dream about it all night. It’s really a dream to sing the Marseillaise at home, on my track, in our velodrome, ”she hallucinates, before descending very quickly. “It was not my ultimate goal. The ultimate goal is the Paris 2024 Olympics. But I think it will be one of the best memories of my life. It’s just too good, what. »
To wash away the insults of the Olympics and the previous worlds, the tricolor staff had advised him to relax and have fun, even more at home, where the experience promised to be crazy. She was. “The audience was amazing. As long as we do not live it we cannot know. You don’t realize it when you watch it on TV, you can’t feel it all. There I heard ‘Mathilde, Mathilde’ in the stands so obviously it pushes you. At the end I felt like I was flying. »
Landerneau in silver
Wisely seated next to the podium while waiting to receive his silver medal in the men’s kilometer, Melvin Landerneau experienced the success of his teammate in the front row. He too had legs of fire, but he fell on the Martian Hoogland. The only one who can beat him around the ring. The only one who can put two seconds in his face with disgusting ease.
“But I’m happy with this silver medal, he smiles in the mixed zone. Hoogland was a huge favourite. For the moment it’s difficult to get it, there is still a big gap. He’s on another planet right now and we’re going back to work trying to be a part of that planet, too. »
Landerneau has two years to do better. But if he still adorns himself with money at the Olympics, we won’t blame him too much. It is indeed to be counted among the still too rare satisfactions of these Worlds of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. With just three medals – one of each color – so far, France in track cycling is not yet quite on the road to redemption by 2024. The disappointments Thomas Boudat on the points race and Clara Copponi on the omnium are there to remind us, even if there is still room. Charge Benjamin Thomas and Sébastien Vigier to unearth metal this weekend to embellish the French balance sheet and arm themselves with confidence within two years of the Olympics.