It’s the last chance for Van der Breggen as the World Champion is set to retire at the end of the season, while it’s – arguably – also the last chance for Van Vleuten, as she will be 41 years during the Paris Games in 2024. On the other hand, reigning Olympic Champion Kirsten Armstrong was 43 years when she stormed to gold in Rio.
Armstrong’s palmares is spectacular, as she won ITT gold in three consecutive Olympic Games – Peking 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016. So a Cloé Dygert triumph would honour the tradition of the USA winning gold at the ITT event at the Summer Olympics.
Looking at the recent World Championships, the 24-year old is the absolute favourite. Two years ago she put 1.32 minutes into Anna van der Breggen and almost 2 minutes into Annemiek van Vleuten. The course in Yorkshire was similar to the one in Tokyo, although slightly more hilly.
Last year in Imola, Dygert was on pace for a repeat victory when she suffered a crash and left the race in an ambulance. Van der Breggen was the best of the rest and she took gold ahead of Marlen Reusser.
Favourites road race Summer Olympics Tokyo
*** Chloé Dygert
** Anna van der Breggen, Annemiek van Vleuten
* Amber Neben, Marlen Reusser, Lisa Brennauer