It was my first time competing in the National Time Trial Championships. I was thrilled that the Cannondale was finally ready, and we’d even prepared a specific time trial setup just for this event. In the U17 category, the options are pretty limited: a time trial suit and aero bars are allowed, but the gearing rule (50/14) was still in place, and time trial bikes were not permitted. The rules also allowed for a time trial helmet, but I didn’t have one.
I was in good shape and had trained hard. The Cannondale Supersix EVO2 DI2 is an impressive bike—great aero properties and very lightweight. I could really feel the difference compared to my beloved Bianchi Sprint 105, and the aero bars felt solid too. I only had one chance to test the bike before the race, but it was a promising ride. I was really looking forward to the race. My goal was to beat everyone who had been faster than me in the previous time trial at Tiszagyenda. (Spoiler alert: I did.)
For the first time in my life, I didn’t start with my foot on the ground—I was clipped in, sitting in the saddle, with someone holding my bike before the start. I was a bit nervous about this because any mistake here could mean a significant loss of time, and in this race, every second—or even fraction of a second—counts.
The start was clean. The course was practically dead straight, with no disruptions. I was able to maintain my own pace and rode feeling strong throughout. But what did that amount to?
The distance was 15 km, which I completed in 20:35:33, with an average speed of 43.7 km/h and 294 watts. And what place did that get me?
In his book, Peter Sagan talks about all those times he kept finishing second. He jokes that maybe there should be a special jersey for second place—perhaps brown. Well, I could have felt the same way because I finished fourth again, just 1.14 seconds off the podium. A slightly better start, a more perfectly timed turn at the buoy, or even a time trial helmet—all could have made the difference. And of course, if I’d known how close it would be, I could have pushed that bit harder. But hindsight is always 20/20.
Honestly, I was thrilled with fourth place because I rode faster than I ever had before, and I managed to convincingly beat all the strong competitors who had finished ahead of me at the Tiszagyenda time trial. I felt strong the entire race.
Sure, a medal would have been amazing, and it was so close, but I knew I was heading in the right direction—and that was definitely something to celebrate.
