Schweinberger 28.

Surprise victory in the Olympic road race

Kristen Faulkner won the road race.

(Bild: AFP/APA/David GRAY)

Outsider Kristen Faulkner from the USA surprisingly won the Olympic cycling road race in Paris on Sunday. The 31-year-old won after 158 km thanks to a late solo attack from a group of four, around a minute ahead of London Olympic champion Marianne Vos (NED) and world champion Lotte Kopecky (BEL). Christina Schweinberger, who finished tenth in the time trial, was 28th (+5:00 min.), Tokyo Olympic champion Anna Kiesenhofer finished 52nd (+7:53 min.).

The peloton started in Trocadero, rolled out of Paris, past the Palace of Versailles and the Olympic golf course in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. A breakaway group of mostly six riders, including two from Afghanistan, had already built up a lead of several minutes before Dutch rider Ellen van Dijk took over the pace in the chasing group. The last two escapees were also caught on the first climb to Montmartre.

Dygert crash with serious consequences
A crash by US-American Chloé Dygert was a decisive factor in the race, causing a blockage in a narrow section 48 km before the end. Like many of the top riders, the Tyrolean Schweinberger was also slowed down and tore a large hole in the peloton - to the dismay of the thousands of fans on the roadside, the French riders were also affected. Vos and the Hungarian Blanka Vas, among others, rode away at the front and initially seemed to have a decisive lead in the finale. Three and a half kilometers before the finish, however, the duo was caught by Kopecky and Faulkner, immediately after which Faulkner attacked and was never caught again. Vas ultimately came away empty-handed in the tight three-man sprint for silver.

"It was my own fault. I knew that was an important point. I took my cue from Kopecky and Demi Vollering, who were also behind me. It was a risk, but I went on quite a few attacks beforehand. I thought to myself that if I didn't manage my energy a bit, I wouldn't be able to keep up on the climb, where it would be crucial. I felt better than my position," said Schweinberger.

Vos and Hungary's Blanka Vas, among others, rode away at the front and initially seemed to have pulled away decisively in the finale. Three and a half kilometers before the finish, however, the duo was caught by Kopecky and Faulkner, immediately after which Faulkner attacked and was never caught again. Vas ultimately came away empty-handed in the tight three-man sprint for silver. "I practiced my late attack several times this year, I felt very confident," said Faulkner. At the finish line, however, she asked herself. "What on earth just happened? It was too big, too real. I had to check it three times."

Schweinberger had hoped to come close again on the city lap. "When Kopecky was gone, it was so difficult to control." Kiesenhofer struggled several times to keep up with the peloton, losing it for good with 66 km to go. In the time trial, she only finished 33rd out of 35 riders after a crash in the rain. The Lower Austrian had scraped her elbow and needed stitches. The wound was bleeding again on Sunday and was painful on cobbles and bumps, she said.

"Could have gone better"
But even in top form, the race was difficult, added Kiesenhofer. "It could have gone better, but I knew that the short climbs don't suit me that much. I'm rather sad that I couldn't have helped Christina more and that I wasn't there on the final lap." But she was at peace with herself. "I gave it everything I had."

Anna Kiesenhofer

(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

In terms of the atmosphere, it was incredible. "It's a privilege to be able to compete here. I was also able to enjoy it a little." When she was called up first as the defending champion before the start, she knew that she would not be defending her title. "But to have the honor once again for what I achieved in Tokyo was really cool. The fear of the pressure turned into the pride of being able to wear number one once again."

Christina Schweinberger

(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

Schweinberger also found the atmosphere "amazing. Riding through the sea of people was so cool, I'll never forget it. Not even the finish".