Argentina already has one foot in Paris 2024: participation in cycling has been ensured and is looking for a ticket in rugby

There are 444 days left until the start of Paris 2024 and Argentina was already beginning to throb Olympic Games of the French capital, which will be launched on July 26 next year. It is that our country already has a guaranteed quota for that appointment, in road cycling, and this weekend it could add another one, at the hands of the Pumas Seven.

The presence of the white and blue flag in Paris was confirmed at the end of April, when Niccolo Tivani won the silver medal in Pan American Championship of cycling from Panama. The man from San Juan, gold in Madison and silver in the team pursuit in South American Games of Asuncion 2022he finished second in the elite road event, behind Canadian Pier Andre Coteand got one of the two Olympic tickets this contest put into play.

The classification is not nominal, i.e. it does not belong to Tivani. It is a national quota that has been allocated to the Argentine Olympic Committee (COA). Which means, later on, it will be the COA and the Argentine Road and Track Cycling Federation which will designate the athlete who will use it.

“Happy, but with a bittersweet taste. I would have liked to give you a gold one, but competitions are like that. Believe me, I gave up even what I shouldn’t have won, and with a team that is always available. Thank you for believing in me and thank you so much Argentina Selection for giving me this opportunity to represent my country, which I love with my life”, wrote the 27-year-old from San Juan on Instagram, who in addition to the podium took precious points for the country classification of the International Cycling Unionwhich will distribute the majority of tickets for Paris.

Ninety cyclists will compete in the men’s road race in Paris (the same number will compete in the women’s). Eighty will exit that world ranking on October 17, which takes into account the results of the Under 23 and Elite races on the official UCI calendar in the 52 weeks preceding the closing date. The top 5 of a list of 45 countries will access four spots; the next five will take three; from 11 to 20, two; and the rest, a ticket.

France, as a host, you have reserved two seats. Champion and runner up World Championship, which will take place in Glasgow from 3 to 13 August, will each take one. And the other quotas are awarded in the continental championships, which are the last instance of qualification, although they take place before the World Cup and the closing of the standings.

What if Argentina gets another ticket – or tickets – by standings or in the ecumenical event? The one won by Tivani will, retroactively, go to the next best-placed country in the Americas in the final table of that Pan-American and which did not qualify via the other two paths.

The men’s road race in Paris will take place on August 3 on an urban circuit that will start Pont d’Ienaa bridge spanning the Seine in the heart of the city, near the Eiffel Tower and the Gardens of the Trocaderoand will end in Champs Elysees.

The Pumas, for the second

The second place of the Albiceleste could arrive at the weekend, just from France. Why The Cougars Seven will play in Toulouse on the penultimate date of the season world circuit of that specialty. And if they get on the podium they will return to Buenos Aires with the standings under their arm.

The Argentina national team is second in the standings with 140 points, 14 fewer New Zelandthe only team (besides the French hostess) that has already secured a place in the Olympic tournament.

Those led by Santiago Gomez Cora They have won four medals this season. Two golds, at the fourth round in Hamilton and the seventh in Vancouver; and two silvers, in the sixth in Los Angeles and in the ninth (last played) in Singapore, where they lost the final against the All Blacks.

Behind are the Argentines Fijiwith 130, Francewith 122, e Australiawith 112. The top four qualify for Paris, although the New Zealanders have already seized one of those tickets.

With the Roosters out of contention (they’re already in because they’re the organisers), Los Pumas will guarantee their place at the Games if they take more than 22 units ahead of the Australians. And they will if they get on the podium (any step), regardless of the results of their rivals.

In Toulouse the blue-and-whites will play in the Group Bin which he will have to face Germany AND Spain Already Friday Great Britain Saturday.