Remco Evenepoel won gold again. © APA/afp / DAVID GRAY

Despite shock: Evenepoel wins gold again

He did it again: After winning the individual time trial, Belgian Remco Evenepoel also won the longest road cycling race in Olympic history. He had to worry again shortly before the end due to a defect.

August 03, 2024

From: dpa/sn

Despite the defect, the Tour de France third-place finisher won solo at the Eiffel Tower ahead of the two Frenchmen Valentin Madouas and Christophe Laporte. The decision was made 15 kilometers from the finish when Evenepoel broke away from fellow breakaway rider Madouas.

In the longest road race in Olympic history, the field consisted of just 90 riders and the focus was initially on the outsiders. A group of five with riders from Rwanda, Uganda, Thailand, Morocco and Mauritius broke away shortly after the sharp start in Paris and built up a maximum lead of around 15 minutes southwest of the capital. However, the top nations had the situation under control at all times and the decisive phase of the race began just 72 kilometers from the finish.

Defect makes Evenepoel tremble

At the world-famous Louvre, Remco Evenepoel got nervous again for a moment, but even a defect shortly before the finish did not prevent him from being crowned cycling king of Paris. The Belgian raced along the Seine to the Eiffel Tower and his second Olympic victory of the Summer Games. After the Success in the individual time trial The child prodigy triumphed again a week later and replaced Jan Ullrich as the youngest Olympic champion. No one has ever won either of the road races at the Games.

Evenepoel had a defect shortly before the finish. © ANSA / CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON

After 273 kilometers and 2800 meters of altitude, Evenepoel celebrated at the Paris landmark; only 1.11 minutes later did the second-placed Frenchman Valentin Madouas reach the bridge at the Eiffel Tower.