30 great images from the Rio Olympics road cycling events
We select some of the most memorable photographs from the Rio 2016 Olympic Games cycling road races and time trials
- Photos by Graham Watson and Yuzuru Sunada
Going out on a high
How much did the time trial win mean to Fabian Cancellara? The usually calm Swiss star jumped up and down in delight on the podium after his emphatic victory in the TT, his last before retirement at the end of the 2016 season.
Credit: Yuzuru SUNADA
Kwiatkowski’s encouragement
Having taken part in the previous day’s men’s road race, Polish rider Michal Kwiatkowski gave his support to team-mates during the women’s road race.
Credit: Watson
Who will make a move
Andrey Zeits leads a select group of riders during the finale of the men’s road race, as the riders eye each other to mark any moves.
Credit: Yuzuru SUNADA
Dan Craven
The Rio 2016 Olympic Games found a new hero in Namibian Dan Craven, who was handed a very late slot in the men’s time trial event and only had his road bike and kit to use. His entertaining interaction with fans via social media has made him even more of a star.
Credit: Watson
Descent incident
One of the Iran team hits a wall during the men’s road race and temporarily becomes tangled under his bike. He survived unscathed, but others riders were less fortunate with some branding the descent from Vista Chinesa as ‘dangerous’.
Credit: Watson
Face of a champion
Fabian Cancellara used every bit of the experience gained in his long and distinguished career to pace himself perfectly and claim the victory in the men’s time trial.
Credit: Yuzuru SUNADA
Armitstead signs on
Lizzie Armitstead endured a less than perfect run-up to the 2016 Games, having to appeal to CAS against a suspension due to three missed anti-doping tests and a lot of negative media attention. She signed on and got on with the road race, finishing fifth.
Credit: Watson
Meet the media
A rarely-seen aspect of the podium celebrations, as the top three women face the cameras during the podium celebrations for the road race.
Credit: Yuzuru SUNADA
Pooley on the front
Emma Pooley returned to road racing just for the Olympics, and was employed as a helper for Lizzie Armitstead. However, Pooley was driving the pace of the bunch early on in the road race unaware that Armitstead had dropped back due to a mechanical.
Credit: Watson
Issue for Yonamine
Japan’s Eri Yonamine stops to fix a problem with her bike during the women’s road race.
Credit: Watson
Ready to go
The women wait nervously for the road race to start on Sunday, with a tough and hilly course in front of them. Only 53 riders would finish.
Credit: Watson
Rio route
The women’s peloton heads down towards the sea on part of the road race route, which ran along the windswept coast before hitting the hills inland.
Credit: Watson
Tour champ
Tour de France champion Chris Froome took bronze in the men’s time trial on a course that turned out to favour power riders slightly more than climbers.
Credit: Watson
Olympic support
Rather than the large, flash support vehicles often seen at the Grand Tours, the neutral service car at Rio was a more compact model. Perfect for the course’s narrow roads.
Credit: Graham Watson
Podium celebration
This is what it is all about: medals. Anna van der Breggen celebrates the victory for the Netherlands, but her country’s celebrations were muted as Annemiek van Vleuten had crashed heavily during the race and ended up in hospital.
Credit: Watson
Vincenzo Nibali attacks
Italian Vincenzo Nibali attacks on the final Vista Chinesa climb during the men’s road race. He would go clear with Sergio Henao and Rafal Majka, but be involved in a hard fall on the descent with Henao. Nibali’s race ended with a double fracture to his left collarbone.
Credit: Watson
Men’s race start
The peloton is led by Poland, and Czech Republic as it climbs above a surfing beach not long after the start.
Credit: Watson
Climbing test
The climbs used in the road race circuits had gradients of up to 17 per cent in places. Even hardened professionals found the relentless series of climbs were a challenge.
Credit: Watson
Cobbles victim
A section of rough cobbles on the course saw several riders come a cropper. The uneven surface unseated several riders’ bottles, causing a hazard.
Credit: Watson
Ireland
Ireland was represented at the Games by Daniel Martin and Nicolas Roche. Martin put in a solid performance to finish 13th.
Credit: Watson
Yates Olympic debut
Having placed fourth in the Tour de France and claimed the white jersey of best young rider, Adam Yates was an important part of the British team and stuck with the lead group until the final climb. He would finish 15th.
Credit: Watson
Armstrong makes it three
Kristin Armstrong powered to victory in the women’s time trial, despite suffering from a nosebleed during the punishing event. It would be her third Olympic time trial title, coming just one day before her 43rd birthday.
Credit: Yuzuru SUNADA
Gold!
Classics rider Greg Van Avermaet claimed one of the first gold medals of the 2016 Games, taking the victory in the men’s road race.
Credit: Watson
Victory for Netherlands
Anna van der Breggen had ranked as one of the main contenders in the women’s road race, and she did not disappoint, winning the sprint ahead of Emma Johansson to strike gold.
Credit: Yuzuru SUNADA
Celebration
Greg Van Avermaet looks like he can hardly believe that he has won the men’s road race. The Belgian defied pre-race predictions that the men’s race would favour climbers more than classics riders such as himself.
Credit: Yuzuru SUNADA
Brazil scenery
The road race and time trial routes in Rio really had a bit of everything – flat, climbs, coast, forest. It was a real test worthy of the Olympics, and provided a stunning backdrop to the action.
Credit: Yuzuru SUNADA
Tired
Brazil’s Clemilda Fernandes looks exhausted after the women’s road race. Her team-mate Flavia Oliveira put in a very strong performance to finish seventh, in a crowd-pleasing ride for the home fans.
Credit: Yuzuru SUNADA
Police presence
The police service have a good view of the action during the road race as they look back on the approaching peloton.
Credit: Watson
Belgian fans
Although some of the Olympic venues have struggled to fill their seats, there were plenty that had made an effort to support their home nations during the cycling events.
Credit: Yuzuru SUNADA
Armitstead out of the medals
The disappointment shows on Lizzie Armitstead’s face as the British leader crossed the line in fifth place in the women’s road race.
Credit: Yuzuru SUNADA
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