2024-08-04 20:52:13
The 36-year-old cyclist rode through the most beautiful streets of Paris on Sunday, finishing with the complete pride of France, the Eiffel Tower, behind her.
“Fantastic. The center of Paris for cycling – wow!”, – the only Lithuanian road cyclist at the Olympics smiled widely. After the finish, her emotions were heated by an unexpected surprise – the cyclist was invited to the television, where she saw Edita Janeliūtė-Konovalova and Igna Konovalova, the Lithuanian cycling family, who had called her. Both of them are great friends of Rasa.
Such a surprise greatly impressed the athlete.
R. Leleivytė covered the 158-kilometer course in 4 hours and 4 minutes in the mass start road race. 23 sec. She was 5 minutes behind the leader and took 20th place.
This is her second Olympic Games. In Tokyo, Lithuania was 35.
The gold was won by 31-year-old American Kristen Faulkner (3:59:23), and the silver by 37-year-old Dutch cycling star Marianne Vos. Belgian star Lotte Kopecky, 28, won bronze.
“At the beginning, we drove seriously, but when I saw that there were 5 minutes behind me, I started driving hard and didn’t stop. Before the hill there was still a fall. The group went alone and it is not even clear how it would have been. Maybe it would have been different, but I’m satisfied. I’m in a small team, we don’t go in those tough competitions. I haven’t ridden with the best female cyclists in the world in a very long time. Such a start in the Olympics, that’s…Being in a group with the best, who have won many competitions, is quite nice”, said R. Leleivytė.
As he spoke, he kept looking at the Eiffel Tower in front of him, he could clearly hear people’s deafening slogans for cyclists.
There was nothing like that at the Tokyo Olympic Games held three years ago – due to the restrictions of COVID-19, the spectators were pushed aside, so even then R. Leleivytė said that she would like to see those live Olympic Games. Saw it and still performed well.
“I heard someone yell ‘Rasa!’, it was cool.” There were so many people. You drive, everyone supports you – it doesn’t matter if you are French, Italian or Lithuanian. Everyone is so supportive that even the shivers run. So many people, I can’t even put it into words,” she said.
R. Leleivytė now openly says that it would be possible to start thinking about 2028, when the Los Angeles Games will take place.
“You can plan, why not?” It is quite realistic to plan for it. Now the European and World Championships should take place, it will be a busy preparation. There will be high mountains, training and a couple of competitions,” thought R. Leleivytė.
She would like to have a teammate on the track, because now she is riding the bike alone, and the support team is small.
“The man is a trainer, masseur and psychologist. Everything. And then there’s Mateo, who works for our team in Italy. He organizes everything, speaks French and English, so he arranges all the documents”, said R. Leleivytė.
R. Leleivytė thanked the Lithuanian National Olympic Committee (LTOK) and the Lithuanian Cycling Federation for giving her the opportunity to train in the high mountains before the Games, where all female leaders or those who want to become leaders are usually attracted.
However, she immediately points out that Lithuanian cycling sport had a generation of great athletes, but now it is facing a shortage of funds.
And a lot of money is needed here.
“A bicycle with wheels costs about 12,000, but it can still be reduced by a kilogram. The frame is not the best. About 15 thousand, if with good wheels and complete equipment. – said R. Leleivytė, touching one or another part of her bicycle with her hands. – Camps cost a lot – if others go to the highlands and you can’t…
When you are in high altitudes, the blood improves, hemoglobin increases. There are many nuances.
The wheels alone cost about 2500 euros, you need to have at least a pair or two spare. One tire costs about one hundred euros. Lenciuga. The steering wheel can also be improved. The prices are cosmic.”
According to her, the highest level of cycling uses Formula 1 standards.
“Formula 1″ tests cars in the tunnel, it’s the same with bicycles – they change the steering wheel and see which one is better, the same with tires. Those who have such opportunities add up little by little,” she explained.
– At the Paris Games, athletes talk a lot about psychology. Here are the rowers who achieved good results in the rodeo and brought bronze, telling how they motivate themselves in the middle of the distance. What do you say to yourself?
– Every athlete talks to himself during every competition. You say to yourself: “Go for it, you can’t give up.” You ride not only for yourself, you ride for the fans. You know that many friends and coaches support you.
We need to make it more interesting for them (laughs). This is also a stimulus.
Psychological preparation is very important. There is excitement and tension before such competitions. You can be very well physically prepared, but if you are not mentally strong, everything can fall apart.
– How do you feel physically?
– I want to thank LTOK and the federation for organizing the camp in the highlands. Now the level of cycling is very high. Athletes spend a lot of time in the mountains after the summer. If you want to be in top shape, you must be in the mountains at least three times.
We drove for the first time. If it were possible to hang out three more times, it would be possible to think even more.
We went to the Italian Alps, where 1700 meters above sea level.
Of course, it’s not easy there, because every day you drive the car down, then the training is up. There is nothing else – a hotel and that’s it. As in the moon. But it is needed.
– You have been riding and living in Italy for many years, but what do you think – in what direction is Lithuanian cycling moving?
– Maybe there is a little lack of funds. Inventory costs a lot. It costs a lot to take people to competitions and camps.
We have good people, but if there was a sponsor to help organize a couple of competitions for the youth to motivate them…
As far as I could see, we have good youth, but they participate in competitions in Lithuania, where 15-20 competitors start. When you come to the European or World Championship, where more than 100 start – it is very difficult.
I remember that we were very lucky in which generation Edita Pučinskaitė, Diana Žiliūtė, Polikevičiūtė (sisters Rasa and Jolanta) were there.
There was a lot of money because they won everything. Thanks to you, we were able to grow, we competed with the strongest. When we came to Europe, the world championships, we knew what the competition was, we knew the opponents.
There is no such possibility now. That makes it much more difficult. Only with the availability of funds would it be possible to prepare good young people. They are physically strong. Need more motivation. When you are taken to the competition, you can fight with the strongest, you feel that you are riding well, it is motivating. And this is the most important thing.
And if you don’t have competition, even though you are tough, you need to have an exceptional mentality to “drive” forward.
– You say that inventory costs a lot – but how much does your Olympic kit cost?
– A bicycle with wheels is about 12 thousand, but it can still be made lighter by a kilogram. The frame is not the best. About 15 thousand, if with good wheels and complete equipment. Camps cost a lot – if others go to the highlands and you can’t…
When you are in high altitudes, the blood improves, hemoglobin increases. There are many nuances.
The wheels alone cost about 2500 euros, you need to have at least a pair or two spare. One tire costs about one hundred euros. Straps…
The steering wheel can also be improved. The prices are cosmic.
2024-08-04 20:52:13