Competing In Paris Olympics With Manufactured Standard Bike Quality, Bernard: It's Not A Burden

Indonesian bicycle racing athlete Bernard van Aert (second from the left) and Chef de Mission Indonesian contingent for the 2024 Paris Olympics Anindya Bakrie (second from the right) took a group photo in Jakarta Velodrome, Jakarta, Tuesday (18/6/2024). (Doc. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Indonesian cycling athlete Bernard van Aert will compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Bernard will race in the Omnium number. One of the very heavy cycling numbers, because it involves four racing categories.

He admitted that he was not afraid to appear at the 2024 Paris Olympics even though the bicycles he used were classified as cheap, compared to the bicycles his competitors used.

Unlike the bicycles used by its competitors, which are made by customizing as needed and body size of athletes, the bicycle used by Bernard is a manufacturer bicycle made for mass needs.

"From me, the influence is just not too burdensome for me. The important thing is, how do I perform the best on this bicycle. That's all my target. How to look at the previous race-races, right, if on a bicycle it's all data," said Bernard when met after undergoing training in Jakarta Velodrome, Jakarta, quoted from ANTARA, Tuesday, June 18.

"So how can I improve my maximum results with our preparations so far, I hope the peak is there with the best on this bicycle. I don't see how the opponent's bicycle is," said the 26-year-old athlete.

Bernard's coach, Dadang Haries Poernomo, also admitted that the bicycles used by competitors were much better because they had been adjusted to the needs of each athlete as used by Japanese, British, French and Malaysian athletes.

"If we talk about going against countries like that, we are still left behind in the sector. In my opinion, their bicycle prices are no longer reasonable. Even Japanese bicycles when they are released are offered to other people for approximately IDR 2 billion," said Dadang.

In comparison, the bicycle that Bernard will use at the 2024 Paris Olympics is worth around Rp. 500 million.

"We are currently still maximizing Bernard's performance and supported with the equipment we can with the best products," said Dadang.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Bernard will end his fast for Indonesia's track-number bicycle participation in the biggest multi-sport event. Bernard also admitted that it was not difficult to adapt to track-number bicycle racing even though he raced more for road race numbers.

"If I may have used track bikes a lot, it's not really (probleming). At least just a few adjustments from the bike, like I've been playing the track today, I haven't held the track for a long time, so I just adjust the gear to the adaptation of the bicycle. There is no need to be very specific, it has to be up to weeks, months for training, "said Bernard.

Bernard, who is currently a member of the Mula Cycling Team in the future, will still take part in a number of races in preparation for appearing at the Olympics.

For the nearest event, Bernard will appear at the National Championship (Kejurnas) of cycling in Batam. Before flying to Spain and Italy to take part in a number of road race races and tracks ahead of his appearance in the men's Omnium event at the 2024 Paris Olympics.