Fans lined the streets of Paris to cheer on competitors in the men's road race. Photo: photosport
Belgium's Remco Evenepoel had a heart-in-mouth moment as he claimed gold in the Olympic men's road race in impressive fashion to become the first male rider to achieve the double after also winning the time trial.
Evenepoel suffered a puncture less than 4km from the finish, on the Carousel du Louvre, raising his arm for assistance before clapping and waving at his team to deliver a new bike in a scene of sheer panic.
With race radio communication banned at the Games, the 24-year-old, who was cruising to victory, only had information on his time advantage from the motorbike showing the gaps on a blackboard.
"It showed it was 25 seconds so I thought the (chasing) group would go past me but it turns out it was incorrect," Evenepoel told a press conference.
Official timings showed he was a minute ahead of Madouas.
Remco Evenepoel's bike suffered a puncture less than 4km from the road race finish. Photo: photosport
The change was made swiftly, however, and he powered to the line after he had made the decisive move 15km from the finish, in the run-in to the second of three punishing ascents of the Butte Montmartre.
It was one of the most spectacular races the sport has ever seen, with delirious fans lining the road in one of the few Olympic sports spectators can attend for free.
Organisers told Reuters 500,000 attended across the day.
Evenepoel's brutal attack left Valentin Madouas - who was hovering 1:15 behind when Evenepoel's incident occurred - gasping for air, but the Frenchman hung on to take silver after 273km, one minute and 11 seconds off the pace.
Christophe Laporte won a small group sprint five seconds behind to take the bronze as France grabbed their first medals in the Olympic road race since 1956.
New Zealand's two riders finished off the pace, among the 77 riders to finish the journey.
Corbin Strong, left, and Laurence Pithie crossed the line well back in the field. Photo: SW Pix / www.photopsort.nz
Corbin Strong was 27th across the line - nearly three minutes behind Evenepoel - while Laurence Pithie was in a bunch further back, placed 39th.
Evenepoel raised his arm in the final kilometre as a pre-celebration before stepping off his bike as he crossed the line for a photo with the Eiffel Tower in the background.
Sick feeling
"What a place to win this. Honestly, I feel sick. So proud to win this and to be the first ever to double it - history, no?" a beaming Evenepoel, who finished third in the Tour de France last month, told reporters.
"You are never sure enough. I felt that his legs were getting empty and I knew the kicker where I dropped him was a kicker that really suited me. It was just pushing, pushing, pushing to the line.
"I really feel sick from the effort especially with the stressy moment with 4km to go - I got a straight puncture. I had to change bike [and it was a] bit of stress, but I had time enough."
Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel, one of the pre-race favourites, made a move on the steepest part of the Rue Lepic but could not open a decisive gap and ended up a disappointing 12th.
It was another memorable day for France, who have been delighting the home crowd with top-notch performances at the Games and although they were not among the favourites, Madouas and Laporte delivered.
"(Coach) Thomas (Voeckler) said to me yesterday: 'Get a head start, it'll take you a long way'. I put in an attack and we went out. I was waiting for the champions to come back and I had to stay on Remco's wheel as long as possible," Madouas told reporters.
"He was a cut above the rest, even though I could see him in the distance in the finale. To come second here in Paris, in a setting like this, I have nothing to say."
- Reuters
