Controversy has finally found the most dominant speedskating team at the Sochi Olympics.
Saying that he feels excluded after being assigned as a substitute for the Dutch in today’s team pursuit finals, Jorrit Bergsma - who set an new Olympic record on the way to 10,000m gold earlier this week - has boycotted the pursuit team.
According to the Associated Press, Bergsma told Netherlands-based TV network NOS that he was counted on “only in emergencies” while teammates Sven Kramer, Koen Verweij, and Jan Blokhuijsen combined to make their way into the finals in dominating fashion.
MORE: South Korea lodges protest of Sotnikova’s win over Kim
Yesterday, the Kramer/Verweij/Blokhuijsen triumvirate won their quarterfinal heat over France by almost nine seconds, and then won their semifinal over Poland by over 11 seconds.
Today, they’ll match up against Korea in the A Final.
As for the impact of Bergsma’s boycott, it’s pretty much next to zero unless Kramer, Verweij or Blokhuijsen go down with an injury before today’s races, which go off at 8:30 a.m. ET.
