In one of the most majestic scenes at the Olympic Games, the road races in cycling took pace this past weekend, with history being made in the men’s road race. For the first time ever, a male cyclist won the men’s road race and the men’s time trial at the same Olympic Games. That is what Remco Evenpoel of Belgium accomplished over the last week.
Men’s Road Race
Evenpoel posted a winning time on Saturday of six hours, 19 minutes and 34 seconds. He was victorious in bizarre circumstances. With less than four kilometres left. Evenopoel had a blown tire. However, he successfully made a bike change, and hung on for the gold medal.
Two French riders won silver and bronze. Valentin Madouas of Brest won the silver medal with a time of six hours, 20 minutes and 45 seconds. Christophe Laporte of La Seyne-sur-Mer won the bronze medal with a time of six hours, 20 minutes, and 50 seconds.
Who else has done the remarkable double?
On the women’s side, only one Olympic cyclist has ever won the time trial and road race at the same Olympic Games. Leontien Zijlaard of the Netherlands accomplished the feat at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.
Women’s Road Race
Kristen Faulkner of Homer, Alaska won the gold medal in the women’s road race. She posted a winning time of 3:59.23. Marianne Vos of the Netherlands won the silver medal with a time of 4:00.21. Lotte Kopecky 0f Belgium won the bronze medal. There was a photo finish for second place with Blanka Vas of Hungary finishing in fourth place and just out of the medals.
Historic BMX Race
It was a fantastic moment in French cycling on Friday as France swept the medal podium in men’s BMX racing. Joris Daudet of Saintes won gold, Sylvain Andre of Cavaillon won silver, and Romain Mahieu won bronze. This was the first time since the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris that France swept the Olympic podium. A century ago, France swept the men’s sidehorse vault in gymnastics. Albert Seguin won gold, and Jean Gounot and Francois Gangloff shared silver. Meanwhile, in the women’s BMX racing at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Saya Sakakibara of Australia won gold, Manon Veenstra of the Netherlands won silver and Zoe Claessens of Switzerland won bronze.
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