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Portugal was the fourth country with the most medals in European track cycling which ended yesterday in Plovdiv, Bulgaria with six medals in total.
Two gold medals won by Iuri Leitão (zero) and Ivo Oliveira (pursuit), two silver medals by Iuri Leitão (elimination) and Ivo and Rui Oliveira (madison) and two bronze medals by Maria Martins (elimination) and Iuri Leitão (omnium), with emphasis on the latter, who won medals in the three places on the podium.
The entourage arrived in Porto in the early afternoon, with the general feeling of happiness for the best Portuguese participation ever on the track, and soon in a year with a calendar so conditioned by the pandemic.
Yuri Leitão:
«It was an unforgettable day, I left to give my best, starting with three medals is unique and rewarding. In the future I hope he opens the doors so that he can continue to bring great results in Portugal. The difference is that our work, the group, has never stopped believing in our abilities. I can’t lie, it’s really a dream, I never thought I’d go out with three medals, it’s better than anything I imagined. Track or road? I can do both and I hope they can both lead me to success. It was more difficult because we don’t have competition, when we have a set date it’s different. Working without knowing when … the important thing was to believe that the dates would appear “, he said, he who still does not have a team for next season:” I already had the invitations, I wait and see what will happen, weighing the aspect financial and competitive “.
Ivo Oliveira:
«I arrive here happy, we were a small group, but we were the most medalists. Yuri immediately made history with zero, after many second places I managed to become champion, after a tiring Vuelta, but I wanted to end the season in a great way, the team let it arrive and I couldn’t run better, I think. I was confident, I had good legs for the title, physically and mentally everything went well. Not qualify for the Olympics, only Maria will support her, but Paris (2024) remains objective ».
Maria Martins:
«It was a very positive euro for the whole team and a special one for the difficult and different year we have all experienced. Finishing a very complicated year in the best possible way is spectacular. The Olympics are the biggest competition, it will be my main goal and I hope to make our flag proud by going to the highest place ”.
Rui Oliveira:
«This week was not easy, I had problems with recovery and the first race on Friday did not go well, but after a bad day there is always a good day, we entered cautiously, letting the fatigue pass and trying our luck. Luckily Ivo was super and we drove around. For me and for him it tastes like gold. The possibility of not racing was questioned, but the whole team and my brother gave me the necessary support, if we weren’t doing well we would start and the medal shows that together we are stronger, it’s my first in my favorite race, it is special. We tried our luck when there were 50 laps to go and the plan came out perfect. We have given a lot to Portugal and we want to keep giving more, we just need more conditions to do more and better. When I receive medals I try not to connect so much to positive messages, I value more when I receive messages after a bad day. On Friday I received a few, now more. For me, the most important thing is to be there when things go less well ».
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