Event Report: Olympic Road Race - Men's
9th August 2008 - Beijing
Report: Eddie Allen Images: Phil O'Connor
Related: Brian's Olympic Blog Part 2
Sanchez Takes Gold in the Men's Road Race
At 248kms, the Beijing road race course was the longest ever Olympic road race course, consisting of a 78km point-to-point leg out of the centre of Beijing until the race hit the Wall (the Great Wall that is) and the main circuit which held a gruelling 11km, 10 percent ascent of the Badaling Pass which had to be completed by the riders seven times as part of the 23.8km finishing circuit. The uphill finish had Bettini written all over it, but only time would tell.
Aside from Bettini other pre-race favourites were the mighty Spanish team, with three potential winners in the form of '08 Tour winner Carlos Sastre, '07 Tour winner Alberto Contador and Alejandro Valverde.
Above: The GB team contingent of Hammond, Bellis, Swift and Cummings prior to the start
British interests were in the hands of a four man team, managed by former pro Max Sciandri. The team was: Roger Hammond, Steve Cummings, Ben Swift and Jonny Bellis, who at 19 years old, was the youngest man in the race.
Yet it was to be the lesser known member of the Spanish team, Samuel Sanchez, who took the win ahead of the oldest man in the race David Rebellin, with the time trial steam train from Switzerland, Fabien Cancellara taking bronze.
The race as it unfolded
Almost from the off, there was a two man break of Gallardo (Bolivia) and Almonacio (Chile) who were allowed almost 15 minutes grace before the chase got underway in earnest.
At 1hr 13 - another break formed, including Australian favourite Gerrans, on the first lap over the motorway section, which provoked an instant reaction from the peloton. However it was shortlived and was swept up in a few minutes. Meanwhile, Bettini and Cadel Evans both had twitchy starts, spending a lot of time back amid the team cars, Evans tweaking his bike and having problems with his radio.
At 1hr 37 a four-man break got away, drawing around 40 riders from the peloton, including big hitters Carlos Sastre, Alberto Contador, Jens Voigt, Kim Kirchen, Simon Gerrans and significantly for GB interests, Jonny Bellis. Conspicuous by his absence however was 2004 champion Paulo Bettini and another favourite, Alejandro Valverde.
At 1hr 53, the peloton finally responded, ramping up the pace to around 44kmh, in an attempt to reel in the two early escapees and the larger breakaway group.
At 2hrs 5 the leading pair hit the Badaling Pass, passing through the Great Wall. The pair split with Almonacio going clear of Gallardo, with the chasing group around 10 minutes back, who were in turn around 1:30 ahead of the main peloton.
At 2hrs 40 GB's Jonny Bellis slipped off the back of the 30 strong breakaway group, beginning to feel the pace, heat and humidity.
At the 3hr mark the leading group were down to 26 riders and had around 4:30 on the main peloton.
At 3hr 09 the breakaway group had the race-long leader Almonacio in its sights, who was subsequently absorbed into the chasing pack.
At 3hrs 15 the gap between the breakaway group and the peloton rose to 5:25, with no discernable reaction from the peloton.
At 3hrs 30 the gap was still over 5 minutes between the peloton and the breakaway group. Latvian Belavoskiks, one of the leading group, retired at the feed, as the climbing, heat and humidity begins to take its toll.
At 3hrs 36 early leader Almonacio dropped out of the back of the breakaway group, his legs starting to buckle.
At 3hrs 44 Jonny Bellis retired from the race, while the lead group thinned out to 24 riders, with around 90km to go.
At 3hrs 51 the lead had reduced to 3mins 40 seconds and the lead group started to lose its advantage.
At 4hrs 06, and 5 laps to go, two riders, Aliaksandr Kuchynksi (Belarus) and Ruslan Pidgorny (Ukraine), team-mates in the Liquigas trade team, went clear, with the gap back to the peleton still over 3 minutes.
The Italian team hit the front of the main peloton and really stretched things. Roger Hammond and Steve Cummings dangled precariously at the back of the peloton. Meanwhile Schleck brothers Frank and Andy work hard at the front.
At 4 laps to go, the two leaders were 1:14 clear of the remains of the breakaway group, with the main peloton 3:13 behind the leading pair. Swift, Hammond and Cummings are still in the hunt.
Above: Swift and Bellis at the start
With 3 laps to go, Pidgomy and Kuchynski extended their lead to 1:40 over the breakaway group with the peloton closing the gap to 2:51. Things were shaping up for a thrilling climax. If the main peloton could reel in the riders ahead, main contenders Bettini and Valverde, plus the remaining GB hopeful Ben Swift were still in with a chance. Hammond and Cummings both retired after losing around 8 minutes on the leaders.
At 4hrs 50 the peloton and the breakaway group came together with only the Belarus and Ukrainian riders still ahead. At the same critical moment, Bettini had a rear wheel puncture and had to chase back and suffered a further setback with braking and gearing problems after the wheel change.
At 4hrs 55 Nicholas Roche attacked and provoked a reaction from around a dozen riders, splintering the main field just as it had reformed. Stefan Schumacher retired.
At around 2 ½ laps to go, Pidgomy and Kuchynski's lead dropped to under 1 minute while 5 riders broke from the main field, including Gerrans, Van der Velde, Frank Schleck. The break didn't last long and was absorbed by the main field. Three more go away, Vansummeren (BEL), Uran (COL) and Ljungqvist (SWE), gained 21 seconds and attempted to bridge the gap to the two leaders.
Ben Swift doing a great ride in his first Olympic Road Race
At 198kms the gap was around 25 seconds back to the main field, with the lead group reduced to four as Kuchynski dropped away. At the same time the four Spaniards of Sastre, Valverde, Contador and Sanchez hit the front in team time trial mode! The four escapees were quickly caught as the Spanish quartet wrung the neck of the peloton. In close proximity were Bettini, Rebellin and Pelizotti from Italy. Riders were shelled out at an alarming rate as Spain turned the screw.
At 208kms to go, Spain sat up having done plenty of damage. Contador drops back and retired, his job seemingly done. Austrian Christian Pfannberger makes a lone break and builds a lead of 25 seconds.
At one lap to go, Cadel Evans, quiet all day, made his move along with Rebellin, Andy Schleck, Vande Velde, Rogers and Sanchez, who quickly reigned-in Pfannberger and splintered the field in the process, seemingly sorting themselves out as the final protagonists.
Andy Schleck made a characteristic probing attack on the final climb, shelling out any passengers, leaving him with Rebellin, Kolobnev, Rogers and Sanchez. Schleck kicked again but only Rebellin held his wheel. Sanchez bridged the gap making it three. Kolobnev and Rogers dug deep in an attempt to hang on.
The leading trio gained 25 seconds on the main pack. Rogers and Kolobnev dangled in between. The lead increased to 33 seconds and the podium contenders looked assured. Rogers and Kolobnev pulled out all the stops and started to gain on the leading three with 3kms to go. Then, Cancellara appeared like a thunderbolt and joins Rogers and Kolobnev, who bear down on the leading trio!
Above: Sanchez of Spain taking gold ahead of Rebellin and Cancellara
In the final act, the six came together at the foot of the kick to the finish with Kolobnev first to attack. However Samuel Sanchez timed his sprint to perfection and emerged on the right to comfortably take Gold ahead of Rebellin in Silver and Cancellara in Bronze. What a race!
MORE PHOTOS. See more in the album by clicking the gallery button at the top of the page.
Essential water supplies for the race
Steve Cummings and Ben Swift on the way to the start.
A familair commisaire as Jonny Bellis signs on.
The road race in the shadow of the Great Wall.
Results
1 SANCHEZ Samuel Spain
2 REBELLIN Davide Italy
3 CANCELLARA Fabian Switzerland
4 KOLOBNEV Alexander Russian Fed.
5 SCHLECK Andy Luxembourg
6 ROGERS Michael Australia
7 BOTERO Santiago Colombia
8 AERTS Mario Belgium
9 BARRY Michael Canada
10 GESINK Robert Netherlands
11 LEIPHEIMER Levi United States
12 SOERENSEN Chris Anker Denmark
13 VALVERDE Alejandro Spain
14 PINEAU Jerome France
15 EVANS Cadel Australia
16 NIEMIEC Przemyslaw Poland
17 VANDE VELDE Christian United States
18 BETTINI Paolo Italy
19 KARPETS Vladimir Russian Fed.