In the women's time trial at the Paris Olympics, star rider Taylor Knibb (USA) suffered a catastrophe that ruined what should have been a strong time, as she fell several times and her mechanic crashed while trying to change her bike.

Knibb, a wild-card entry because she is not a road racer by profession, was eighth down the start slope in Anvalid and set the provisionally fastest time of 16:37 at the first intermediate time check. This proved to be faster than Ellen van Dijk (Netherlands) and Audrey Cordon-Lago (France), who started after her.

However, a few kilometers past the time check, in the same corner where Denmark's Cecile Uttrup-Ludwig got stuck, Knibb also suffered a mishap. She slid off, got back up, and crashed a second time shortly thereafter, and again in a subsequent corner.

“The first time I went around a roundabout and fell, got up and got on the bike right away. Then I think the third or fourth time I crashed and then I switched bikes.

“Before the last time trial, my coach told me, and it was ironic, 'Taylor, don't go around the corners too fast and crash. So I didn't really listen to his advice.

Knibb was not the only rider to crash on the treacherous course, but many others were killed, the worst of which was when her brakes failed and her mechanic slipped while changing her bike.

She crashed again on the slippery road through the Bois de Vincennes park, which had been turned into an ice rink thanks to the rain that fell Friday night and Saturday morning.

Knibb's pace slowed, and the brakes that followed her three crashes nailed her chances of setting a time that seemed to be going well. Here her mechanic slipped and dropped her chain.

Losing confidence and unable to hope for a good time, Knibb valiantly tried to finish, but was unable to improve on her fastest time and lost all the 30-second advantage she had taken from Marta Lach (Poland) in the last 20 km of the intermediate check, finishing provisionally in second place.

“I was completely blind, so I had to keep going. I had to keep going,” said Knibb,

who was not at all disheartened by the time trial after a miserable day.

“One thing I have learned in my triathlon career is that I like to learn, even in my short three-race time trial career. I am excited to continue in this sport.

The best part for the 26-year-old, who finished 19th, was riding with world champion and bronze medalist Chloe Dygert and Olympic time trial champion Kristin Armstrong as part of Team USA's cycling team That is.

“Fortunately, I like the shape I'm in now. So to have Chloe [Dygert] and Kristen Armstrong here as one of the coaches was a great experience.

“I feel like I've taken a time trial course this past week. I got to learn from two of the best female cyclists ever.

“It was a great opportunity and regardless of what happened today, I want to continue in this sport.

Knibb will return to triathlon mode and turn her attention to competitions in her home country for the women's individual race on Wednesday, July 31 and the team relay on Saturday, August 5. 4]

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