For her fourth and final appearance at the Games, Christine Majerus intends to show that she has learned from her past mistakes.
The day after her compatriot Alex Kirsch, who will experience his very first Olympic Games, it will be the turn of an old regular to take over. Indeed, this will be Christine Majerus’ fourth participation in the Olympic Games. And also the last since the SD Worx rider announced many months ago that 2024 would be her last season on the roads.
An event that she is approaching in rather good shape, she who is coming off a fine 7th place in the Bâloise Ladies Tour, which ended two weeks ago. Four Olympic Games is first and foremost a source of pride: “If someone had told me at the beginning of my career that I would have participated in four Olympic Games, I would have laughed a lot. But that is the ultimate goal of every athlete. It is a huge source of pride to have done four!”
“I hope I don’t make the same mistakes as in the past.”
21st in London, 18th in Rio, 20th in Tokyo, Christine Majerus and the Olympics have never really been a great love story. But she intends to finish on a better note: “I hope not to repeat the same mistakes as in the past. In London, it was a youthful mistake. In Rio, the circuit didn’t suit me at all. And in Tokyo, I made a pit stop mistake that cost me dearly at the end of the race.”
To correct all this, she is counting first on her experience: “I have three more years of experience. Three more years of intelligence too. So, we are going to do everything to try to be more efficient in this area.” And she adds: “I think I did what was necessary to present myself in the best possible conditions for this race. Now, I believe in my lucky star. The only real objective is to give it my all and not have any regrets.”
“The best will be in front at the end”
What can she expect from a race as unique as the Olympics, where even the best nations don’t have more than four representatives? “It’s really hard to know. It’s a special race that can quickly become wild. Being alone, you’ll have to be patient. Have some left in the pedal when you get back to Paris. And have the right instinct to take the right wheels at the right time. In any case, the best will be in front at the end. And I’ll have to have a great day to accompany them.”
Although she will be practically at home – Christine Majerus has been living in the Paris region for a long time – the Olympic route does not really pass through her usual training roads: “It’s completely opposite. I know them, but it’s not where I ride all the time. Afterwards, it’s pretty much the same terrain. For me, the advantage is above all not having to move around too much, to waste energy trying to figure out where to train.”
After preparing at home, she is back in the Olympic Village: “Spending more than three days there before a competition is more harmful than beneficial. I am happy to be able to stay away a little longer. But then, that’s also what the Olympic Games are about. Being together as a team, seeing other athletes. I have already been to the village a few times for massages and to say hello.”
It is a Christine Majerus who is sure of her abilities, who knows herself inside out, who will take the start, on Sunday, of a 157.6 km race. Which, she hopes, will allow her to end her Olympic career on a good note.
