Roest blames slump on poor condition: ‘Was very afraid of corona infection’

Roest blames slump on poor condition

Patrick Roest blames his slump on the 10 kilometers at the World Allround Championships on a lesser condition. The Dutchman seemed to have good papers for title prolongation on Sunday, but he collapsed during the longest skating distance and dramatically lost the final victory to Nils van der Poel.

“I don’t feel 100 percent fit all weekend,” Roest said after the World Allround Championships against the NOS. “I’m pretty tired and then you know it’s going to be difficult.

I still had a lead of twenty seconds in the classification, but after eight laps I knew I would go down fighting.”

Roest has been “very afraid” of a corona infection in the run-up to the World Allround Championships. With his team Jumbo-Visma, Beau Snellink, Marcel Bosker and coach Jac Orie tested positive for COVID-19 last week. “I woke up every time last week with a headache and sore throat,” says Roest.

“I kept doing self-tests, because I was afraid that I would get it. I always didn’t have it, but I was always stuck with it in my head. That’s not ideal. I didn’t feel 100 percent.

Then it’s just not good enough to beat Nils van der Poel.”

Roest blames slump on poor condition: ‘Was very afraid of corona infection’

‘I rode a bad tournament’

Roest started with a lead of more than 21 seconds on Van der Poel at the final 10 kilometers, but it soon became clear that the Lekkerkerker would not become world champion all-round for the fourth time in a row.

In the end, Roest was 44 seconds slower than the Swede, who with a time of 12:41.56 minutes drove sven Kramer’s twelve-year-old course record out of the books. The Dutchman had to settle for silver.

“I rode a bad all-round tournament,” Roest concluded. “At every distance it wasn’t good enough. This 10 kilometers was very disappointing. It became difficult for me when Nils drove such a time.

I knew I was capable of driving the time needed: two years ago I was also driving around that time. The form just wasn’t good enough.”

“It didn’t look bad, but I did so much better here in Hamar,” Roest continued. “I rode these times five years ago during my first all-round tournament. I have made strides over the years, so this is disappointing.

It’s just not good enough.”

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