His reaction was highly anticipated, so unsurprisingly, he was the rider who took the longest to cross the mixed zone of the Men’s Elite Time Trial World Championship. Having come to Zurich to win a medal in his favourite discipline, Stefan Küng did not achieve the time he had hoped for at home and had to settle for a place at the back of the Top 10 (see ranking). Despite the disappointment, he tried to make the most of this day in front of his public to whom he would have liked to offer a different result, as he explained to DirectVelo.
DirectVelo: You were hoping for a completely different result in this time trial at home…
Stefan Küng: I would have preferred to win a medal but it’s not that easy. I gave my all but I couldn’t do what I’m capable of with this type of effort. It’s hard to find explanations in the heat of the moment but I gave my all so I can’t blame myself. There are average days and today was one of them. On a day like this, in Zurich, you want to shine, the public expected a lot from me and I was also hoping because I have very high expectations, but we’re human, we do what we can on the day.
Did you quickly understand that it was going to be complicated?
I started well, I was well in it. I felt from the start of the climb that I couldn’t change pace. I had spotted the climb and I wanted to go up a notch in the climb but I felt that I was way below. In the middle, I was able to recover to get back to the end but once you’re no longer playing for medals or you’re out of your race, it becomes very hard. It’s difficult mentally when you feel that you’re not at your best, that you can’t go as far as I was able to do on the last time trial of the Vuelta. It’s hard and difficult to say why but sometimes that’s how it is.
“WE MUST ACCEPT THE VERDICT”
You’ve been running a lot lately, could that be an explanation?
It’s hard to take stock now and say that the Vuelta was too much. Maybe I should have taken a bit more time between the Vuelta and today, a bit more recovery after this Grand Tour but I told myself “anything is possible” so I kept pushing every day. Maybe it was a bit too much but I always give my all, I want to do my best and in the end you have to accept the verdict even if you would have preferred to do it differently. The explanation for me seems to be the fact that I was too motivated.
You were very supported throughout the day…
It’s great to be here. I had chills at the start in the velodrome in Oerlikon, it was extraordinary. I’m sorry for the public who came in great numbers today, I would have liked to be on the podium that is taking place at the moment rather than answering this interview now but that’s how it is (smiles), you have to accept the verdict.
“WE WANT TO DO THE RACE AGAIN”
Is it a relief that this time has passed?
It’s not a relief when you feel like you’re not at your best, you want to do the race again (laughs). But that’s sport and there’s no such option, especially in cycling where there’s only one round to do your best. It’s a bit of a shame, the more I think about my race, the more I feel like I missed an opportunity on a course that wasn’t bad for me. But as I say, we’re human and we have to accept the verdict.
There remains the online race to do well at home…
There is a chance again, even if it will be even more difficult. I chose not to do the mixed relay, I will go back to rest to come back with all the strength I have. We have a competitive team, with several cards to play. We will see how the others feel to try to play with the cards we have.
