Niamh Fisher-Black has just recorded her best result as a professional cyclist and while she’s proud of what she achieved she does have some FOMO.
The 20 year old now takes a break from racing as the best cyclists in the world head to the Olympics.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Fisher-Black finished ninth in the just completed women’s Giro d’Italia, claiming the young rider title on the 10-stage tour.
Team SD Worx swept the podium Anna van der Breggen of the Netherlands claiming the title, while Fisher-Black finished ninth overall.
The young Nelsonian now goes into a period of training while the sporting world turns its attention to the Tokyo Olympics.
New Zealand didn’t qualify any spots in the Olympic women’s road race.
“There’s that part in you that says it would be really cool to be going, especially feeling how strong I am at the moment and the results that I’m getting.”
“Yes I am a little bit envious that I’m not going to be there, but I’ll have fun watching it.”
She will be keeping a close eye on the performance of her SD Worx team-mates who are among the favourites for the road race.
Four of the team she was a part of in Italy are heading to Tokyo including defending Olympic champion Anna van der Breggen and Demi Vollering, who are a part of a powerful Dutch squad at the Games.
“The Dutch team will be a force to be reckoned with in the women’s road race, you can’t go past Anna, she’s a super rider and Demi will be there also especially if its a small bunch finish.”
Fisher-Black intends to watch plenty of the games on tv and will be supporting the Kiwis especially in the track cycling.
With the Paris Olympics just three years away she may not have long to wait to have a go herself.
For now though she’s concentrating on the rest of the year with her Dutch team, with whom she’s contracted to until the end of 2022.
“The impression I get (from the team) is that they’re really pleased with how I’m going and I think that they can see I still have a lot of development ahead of me.”
Best young rider pic.twitter.com/okOdutanbi
— Team SD Worx (@teamsdworx) July 11, 2021
Fisher-Black says her ride on the Giro d’Italia Donne couldn’t have gone much better, especially as her team swept the podium, while picking up the white jersey for best young rider was a bonus.
“I knew at the start of the week it (the white jersey) wouldn’t really be a goal as the priority for me was to help my team-mates for stage wins and GC honours.”
“But just doing my job I ended up as best young rider so its pretty nice and my team-mates including Anna van der Breggen, kept reminding me that it’s pretty special to wear the white jersey.”
She still has a number of races ahead this season culminating in the World road Championships in Belgium at the end of September.
“It’s great to be able to ride for yourself at a world championships, it’s a really nice course in Belgium which I’ve ridden before.
“It’s a tough course but I like that classic style racing.
Fisher-Black has been in Europe for more than a year now but does intend to return home this summer.
But for now it’s training and watching the Olympics, wondering what could have been.
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