Matthew Richardson claims silver for Australia in thrilling Paris Olympics sprint race against Dutch legend Harrie Lavreysen
Matthew Richardson is one of Australia’s top sprint cyclists, following in the footsteps of Anna Meares. In the Paris Olympics, he competed against the legendary Harrie Lavreysen, but despite his best efforts, he couldn’t quite win the gold medal.
Richardson, originally from England but raised in Perth, gave it his all in the intense heat at the Vélodrome National. However, Lavreysen, a multiple world champion, proved too strong, delivering a powerful performance that amazed everyone in the velodrome.
Sprint cycling is a thrilling and intense event. It involves two riders closely watching each other for at least one lap, moving slowly at first. Then, they suddenly burst into action, reaching speeds of up to 80kph. It’s one of the most exciting one-on-one battles in the Olympics, almost like a gladiator fight on bikes.
In the final, we witnessed a thrilling showdown between two top cyclists.
This intense rivalry has been building for days, but the mind games and competition have been ongoing for months, with every race and training session leading up to this moment.
In Paris, the excitement began when Richardson set a world record in qualification on Wednesday with an impressive time of 9.091 seconds and an average speed of 79.199 kph. However, Lavreysen quickly took the record away from him by just 0.003 seconds. This clash has been eagerly anticipated and was the highlight everyone was waiting for.
From there, both men made their way through to the final with an inevitability that most in the arena have been hoping for.
Lavreysen needed two fiercely-contested races to beat Brit Jack Carlin in the afternoon session’s semifinals, with Richardson showing his nous to overcome Jeffrey Hoogland twice.
The second of those two semifinal match-races was perhaps the most revealing.
After two laps of painstakingly slow riding, Richardson powered over the top of the Dutch rider and celebrated before he even crossed the line.
It was an intense showcase of strength.
In an event where strategy and mental toughness are as important as physical power, this was a significant moment.
However, Lavreysen was unlikely to be rattled by the pressure.
The 27-year-old Dutch cyclist is a true legend in the sport, having won five consecutive world championship titles since 2019.
In 2022, at the same venue, Lavreysen faced Richardson in the final and won 2-0.
Along with his three keirin titles and five team sprint victories, Lavreysen has won a total of 13 rainbow jerseys, making him the second-most successful track cyclist ever in terms of these titles.
Having already defended his Olympic team sprint title with his Dutch teammates earlier that week, Lavreysen was a strong favorite to win the individual event as well.
Ahead of each race, the riders are sat next to each other, waiting to enter the track.
It is yet more incongruity, two men who would only have eyes for each other in a matter of minutes, doing their level best to ignore each other.
Sitting together but minds apart, visualising how they would dismantle the man next to them in a pique of power and thought and speed and guile.
Lavreysen led the race out at a crawl, both men barely turning the pedals before both slowly, inexorably upped their pace.
With a lap to go they were flying, Richardson moving up and down the impossibly steep banking in an effort to generate just a little bit more speed and put the Dutch legend off his game.
Lavreysen managed to win the first round, holding off the strong challenge from Richardson to take a 1-0 lead.
Now, the crowd will enjoy the thrilling women’s Madison race as a distraction while waiting for the next part of the sprint showdown.
As Italy celebrated their dramatic win in the 120-lap race, Richardson sat quietly beside Jack Carlin from Britain, who was also hoping for a bronze medal.
Lavreysen was warming up on the rollers before joining Richardson on the bench. Inside the Vélodrome National, the heat was intense, making the waiting period feel even more stressful.
Richardson had mentioned to ABC Sport that he could push himself harder than anyone else, as he proved during the nationals in March. This race was another test of how much pain he could endure to win the gold medal.
Richardson started the race in front, gradually increasing the pace while Lavreysen followed closely, ready to overtake him.
When the final bell rang, Lavreysen used his speed to quickly catch up, showing his strength and hitting speeds over 75 kph. Richardson gave it his all to keep up, but it wasn’t enough.
The best track sprinter of his time, Lavreysen, congratulated Richardson after the race and then celebrated with his team, as the crowd cheered his name: “Harrie, Harrie, Harrie.”
Richardson, who won his first individual Olympic medal, can be proud alongside his team sprint bronze. With the keirin race still ahead, he still has a chance to win more medals.
The ABC of SPORT is a newsletter you can read each Saturday, offering interesting sports content that makes you think or just enjoy.
