On Sunday, she won the women’s Tour de France in style and after incredible emotions. Now she admits that she still cannot describe the full range of emotions that arose in the last few hours. Katarzyna Niewiadoma told RMF FM journalist Patryk Serwański what she felt on the route of the last stage and what support her husband, who was also a cyclist in the past, was for her.
Katarzyna Niewiadoma won the eight-day race, overtaking the most dangerous rival in the general classification by… 4 seconds. This time determined the outcome of the race, during which the competitors spent more than 24 hours on their bikes. The unknown man admitted that the sport made up for what it took from her a year ago.
I was extremely happy because last year I missed second place in the Tour by fractions of a second. I was on the other side. I missed it by practically nothing. This time I got it. I could be happy that such a small time difference was in my favor. – said our cyclist. In 2023, the Pole had to settle for a triumph in the mountains classification. This time She reached the finish line with the yellow jersey and won the entire race. For now, she doesn’t fully understand how much she has accomplished.
Everything still doesn’t sit well with me. Yesterday was a big change of moods. I went through a lot of different emotions and feelings. Right after the finish, press conference, doping control, podium. There were so many places I needed to go. It seems to me that this chaos is not over yet. – said Niewiadoma in an interview with RMF FM. When I get home, I’ll sit back and look at what the team and I have achieved. – she added.
The final stage of this year’s Tour de France was extremely difficult and demanding. It also brought great emotions. On the long climb to Col du Glandon she decided to attack Niewiadoma’s most dangerous rival is Dutchwoman Demi Vollering. The Polish player admitted that her opponent chose the perfect moment.
When it hit, I had a massive crisis. We had already been climbing for over an hour to the Col du Glandon. I had not paid enough attention to proper nutrition and felt like my body was slowly shutting down. – reported Niewiadoma. Once we reached the top, I was able to rest a bit on the way down and rehydrate a bit. I ate all the gels I had in my pocket. I felt like I was back on the bike, that my energy was returning, that I had the strength to give my best on the last climb. – described Patryk Serwański’s interlocutor.
The plan was successfully implemented. Everything was decided by the 14 kilometers the legendary climb to Alpe d’Huez. The stranger was slowly making up for her losses. In the last kilometer, she gathered the last of her energy. This ended up giving her a four-second advantage in the overall standings.
At the end of the final climb, I knew I had to give it my all. It was a huge, brutal fight that I will never forget. I have never suffered as much on a bike as I did on this stage. – the Tour de France winner told RMF FM. I still had a lot of support from the team car, support from my loved ones who were on that mountain. I fought, believing that I could continue with that jersey. – she remembered.
As always, the Polish woman could count on her husband. American Taylor Phinney is a former cyclist. He won medals at the track cycling world championships and… won a stage at the Tour de Pologne. He was also runner-up in the individual time trial. He retired a few years ago and has dedicated himself to, among other things, painting. He knows the world of cycling perfectly. He understands this sport and thanks to that is an invaluable support for Katarzyna Niewiadoma.
This has a very positive influence on me. My husband has a good understanding of what racing is like and the emotions associated with it. He knows how to calm me down and prepare me for the start, especially mentally. After the Games, when I returned home, I was devastated that I couldn’t fight for medals due to the crash. It was a very difficult time, but it was my husband who helped me find the motivation to train and prepare well for the Tour de France. – said our competitor.
Sometimes as athletes we limit ourselves to small perspectives. When something goes wrong, it’s hard to open our eyes to the whole world. Having someone close to your heart who understands sports, mood swings and effort is a great support. For the last 2 kilometers he ran alongside me, cheering me on and supporting me. I was so tired that I couldn’t register anything. I always emphasize that I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere without him. – summarized Niewiadoma.
