Switzerland’s Fabian Cancellara powered his way to his second Olympic medal in four days, beating Sweden’s Gustav Larsson yesterday to take the gold in the men’s time trial.
American Levi Leipheimer finished more than a minute behind Cancellara for the bronze in the 47.3km race against the clock that took just over an hour to complete.
Cancellara surprised himself with the bronze in the men’s 245km road race under sweltering conditions on Saturday but was the pre-race favorite for the time trial. As he crossed the finish line he pumped his arm in victory.
PHOTO: AFP
He then staggered off his bicycle and collapsed along some barriers while trainers poured water over him.
“One hour and two minutes is a really, really tough race,” Cancellara said. “Now is the moment to enjoy and to be happy and proud that I won.”
“I’m very, very happy and very proud of this ride today and to go home with two medals,” the 27-year-old two-time world champion in individual time trial said.
In the first half of the race, the powerful Swiss time trial specialist kept switching leads with Spain’s Alberto Contador. But Contador dropped off in the final lap and finished fourth.
Cancellara said he reached speeds up to about 80kph on the downhill sections, but it was the long, tough uphill that taxed most of the riders.
Leipheimer, who fought a close race with Contador for the bronze, said it was his life-long dream to win an Olympic medal.
“I worked very hard for this and it paid off. I pictured myself on the top step but this is brilliant,” he said.
Earlier yesterday American Kristin Armstrong joined a select club of cyclists when she added the women’s Olympic time trial gold to her 2006 world title.
Emma Pooley of Britain claimed the silver with Karin Thurig of Switzerland taking a second consecutive Olympic bronze after her third place in Athens.
Armstrong, 35, was nearly four seconds behind early pacesetter Pooley after the diminutive Englishwoman had set a searing pace on the 9km climb leading to the first time check at 10.8 km.
However the American specialist battled a headwind on the ensuing downhill and flat sections to steadily reduce her deficit before coming over the slightly uphill finish line in a winning time of 34min 51sec.
Despite being told she had won, Armstrong refused to believe she had just achieved a childhood dream.
“The Olympic Games is every four years and this race is one day and you cannot give up until you cross that finish line,” she said. “Someone told me at the top that I had the best time, but I really couldn’t celebrate until the last person crossed the finish line!”
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