PARIS, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- American cyclist Kristen Faulkner won the women's road race gold at Paris 2024 on Sunday, showing that her nerves are made of a mixture of steel and ice.
A look at the timing of the race will show that the U.S. champion crossed the finishing line in three hours, 59 minutes and 23 seconds, with a 58 seconds advantage of Marianne Vos of the Netherlands, pre-race favorite Lotte Kopecky of Belgium and Hungary's Kata Blanka Vas, with Vos taking silver and Kopecky bronze and Vas missing out by centimeters.
However, the clock doesn't go close to telling the story of a race that looked to be all-but decided with 20 kilometers left to ride and then wide open with just 3.5 km to the finish.
The 158-kilometer women's road race was a war of attrition, with a loop through the countryside and then back into the narrow streets, cobbles and steep climbs of Paris.
As usual, there was an early breakaway that hung six minutes ahead of the field, before the powerful Dutch and Belgian teams, began to reel it back in to allow the battle for medals to start in earnest.
Battle commenced with around 60 kilometers left to ride, with a series of attacks aiming to split the field, but the field was split not by an attack, but a crash near the front of the peloton saw Kopecky cut off, along with Demi Vollering and Lorena Wiebes of the Netherlands.
Kopecky made a huge effort to get back into a lead group of 12 riders, but with everyone knowing Wiebes was the fastest sprinter in the race, Vollering was left to try in vain to connect her to the leaders.
With 30 kilometers left, it was clear the medals would come from the leading group, with the second climb up the narrow streets to Montmartre again making a brutal selection of who would and wouldn't win.
Vos saw her moment to attack, using all her experience, and the 37-year-old and Vas got half a minute clear with around 20 kilometers left to ride. It looked as if they would contest silver and gold, but Kopecky wouldn't accept that and dug deep, taking Faulkner with her.
The American contributed to the chase, but not as much as Kopecky, keeping her nerve and saving her energy. Nevertheless, the lead narrowed, and at the top of the last ascent of Montmartre it was seven seconds, then six and then four, as all four riders hurled themselves down the twisty narrow descent.
The four were back together with 3.5 kilometers left, just as the four passed the Louvre Museum: it was a moment to pause, to gather breath and refresh tired legs for a final sprint for gold.
Kopecky, Vos and Vas did just that, but Faulkner hit the accelerator giving everything as her rivals eased off.
In the seconds, they needed to look at each other. Faulkner was gone and so was the gold medal. All that was left was the sprint for silver and bronze, with Vos taking silver 12 years after claiming gold in London. ■
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