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Olympic Cycling - Road Recaps: 31 July (Day 12)

Men's Road Final

RICHARD Win's Road Cycling Gold

Switzerland's Pascal RICHARD won the road cycling gold medal on the longest course in Olympic history, out-running some of the biggest names in cycling. He pulled away from the pack l5 laps into the 17-lap race and then out-sprinted his closest competitors to post a time of 4:53.56. Following RICHARD out of the peloton were unheralded Rolf SORENSEN (DEN) and Max SCIANDI (GBR). Despite some of the biggest names in road racing in hot pursuit, the three managed to stave off any challenge. Only Frankie ANDREU (USA) gave the three break-out leaders serious chase. Entered in the race ostensibly to help favorite Lance ARMSTRONG (USA), ANDREU had fresher legs, pulling away from the chase group and rode alone between the leaders and the chase group for the last three laps of the 229.5 kilometer course.

Medalist: Gold Pascal RICHARD (SUI) 4:53.56; Silver: Rolf SORENSON (DEN), 4:53.56, Bronze: Max SCIANDI (GER), 4:53.58.

See story.

"When SORENSEN and SCIANDRI got away, I said to Lance (ARMSTRONG), do you want to bridge? And he said, 'I am kind of dead.' In the beginning I thought I might catch them, but then I saw that I wasn't gaining any time," said Frankie ANDREU (USA).


This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department.


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Closing Ceremony of the 1996 Games involved a crew of 2,100 who worked with more than 3,500 performers as well as thousands of athletes who celebrated on the field of Olympic Stadium.