2008 Beijing Olympics - Cycling

Laoshan Velodrome
Laoshan Mountain Bike Course
Laoshan BMX Field
Beijing Cycling Road Course
Beijing, China

Cycling was part of the first modern Olympics summer games in 1896

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Road Cycling Day 3 Review: Armstrong and Cancellara claim Time Trial gold

American Kristin Armstrong and Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland earned their first Olympic titles by winning the Women's and Men's Individual Time Trials on Wednesday, August 13.

Emma Pooley of Great Britain finish second to Armstrong with Karin Thurig of Switzerland finishing in third to take her second consecutive Olympic bronze. Sweden's Gustav Larsson took the Men's silver with American Levi Leipheimer claiming bronze.

The day started off with the Women's event where cooler weather, light winds and cloudy skies welcomed the 25 female starters -- far different conditions from the heavy rainfall that drench riders during Sunday's Women's Cycling Road Race.

Emma Pooley of Great Britain set an early fast time, but was knocked down to the silver medal by Armstrong's powerful performance in the second half of the single-lap, 23.5km course up and down a steep climb along the Badaling section of the Great Wall.

Armstrong was four seconds slower than Pooley at the top of the main climbing section, but the 2006 world Time Trial champion powered over the second half of the course to win in 34:51.72 (40.445kph).

"The key things I told myself going into this race is that I have to focus on my own race and no one else's. The time trial is all about racing your own race. It's a race against the clock," Armstrong said.

"The Olympic Games is the biggest day in four years. You can't give up until you cross the finish line."

The gold is Armstrong's first in Olympic competition and the first by the USA Cycling team in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Armstrong's win also marked the record 900th gold medal for the United States in the history of the Olympics.

In the afternoon Men's event, the 40 competitors were divided into three separate groups to run the 47.3km course. Fabian Cancellara stopped the clock in 1:02:11.43 (45.633kph) to earn a gold medal to accompany the bronze he took in the Men's Cycling Road race on August 9.

Gustav Larsson's bid for gold looked secure when he held a seven-second gap on Cancellara at the top of the second climb, but ceded ground to his powerful Swiss rival in the final 13km.

"I have to say that it was a perfect day. I did everything for this day. I had big preparation, lots of sacrifice and today was the day to do it and show everything that I did. I am very happy and proud about this ride," Cancellara said.

Men's Individual Time Trial: Cancellara delivers gold

Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland powered to the gold medal in the Men's Individual Time Trial as he lived up to his pre-race favorite status Wednesday on a grueling, two-lap 47.3km course.

The two-time defending world Time Trial champion fended off a strong challenge from silver medalist Gustav Larsson of Sweden to become Switzerland's first Olympic Time Trial champion. Levi Leipheimer of the United States won bronze.

Nicknamed "Spartacus," Cancellara marked the winning difference on the descending sections of the course to Larsson and 2007 Tour de France champion Alberto Contador of Spain, who set the fastest time up the climbing sections but settled into fourth at 1:18.08 slower.

Cancellara stopped the clock in 1:02:11.43 (45.633kph) to earn gold to go along with his bronze medal in the Men's Cycling Road race on August 9.

Larsson's bid for gold looked secure when he held a seven-second gap on Cancellara at the top of the second climb, but ceded ground to his powerful Swiss rival in the final 13km. He posted 1:02:44.79, 33.36 off Cancellara's winning pace.

Larsson, 27, becomes Sweden's first modern Olympic Time Trial medalist since the sport was reintroduced in 1996. In previous Olympic Time Trial competition from 1912 to 1932, three Swedes won medals.

Leipheimer earned his first Olympic medal with bronze, stopping the clock in 1:03:21.11, 1:09.68 off the gold medal time.

Leipheimer, winner of a Time Trial stage and third in the 2007 Tour de France, made a late surge to overcome Contador and fifth-place Cadel Evans of Australia to secure the day's third medal.

Leipheimer's bronze marks the third-consecutive Olympic Games that US men have medaled in the Individual Time Trial.

Olympic Cycling

Olympic cycling medals are awarded in events of the following disciplines: Track Cycling, Road Cycling, Mountain Bike, and brand new in 2008, BMX.

Track Cycling Events

• Team Sprint Men
• Sprint Men
• Keirin Men
• 4000m Team Pursuit Men
• 4000m Individual Pursuit Men
• Madison 50km Men
• Points Race 40km Men
• Sprint Women
• 3000m Individual Pursuit Women
• Points race 25 km Women

Road Cycling

• Road Race Men
• Road Time Trial Men
• Road Race Women
• Road Time Trial Women

Mountain Bike

• Mountain Bike Men
• Mountain Bike Women

BMX

• BMX Race Men
• BMX Race Women

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