Lõiv finished 5:44 behind the winner in the elite women's Olympic cross‑country race, Switzerland's Sina Frei, who won the gold in 1:27:50.

Lõiv said she had a strong start and felt good in the early laps. "The start went very well and I came out of the starting lap just 20 seconds behind the leader. During the first laps I tried to hold back a little because it was hot and I knew it would be a long race," she said.

However, her race took a technical turn for the worse on the third lap. "During the third lap I felt that the gears were sluggish — sometimes shifting, sometimes not. Until they stopped shifting altogether," explained the rider, who represented Estonia at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

This meant having to continue up slopes stuck in too high of a gear.

"Having to ride those 15‑20 percent climbs in one gear was a nightmare. Tears came to my eyes as I pushed myself up the hill through the pain."

Lõiv said while she managed to reset her gear system at a technical point, the damage was done. "Several riders passed me at once and my morale fell. I realised my legs were tired from that one crazy lap. From then on I rode at my own pace. My legs were cramping and I couldn't focus or think positive thoughts. I just wanted the finish to come quicker."

Of other Estonians competing, Mairit Kaarjärv finished 51st and Maribel Rannala 53rd in the women's under‑23 race, and Matthias Mõttus finished 58th in the men's equivalent.

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