Summer Olympics 2021 Tokyo: Carapaz solos to gold in road race

image: Cor VosBrandon McNulty strikes with 25 kilometres remaining and Richard Carapaz jumps to his wheel. The Ecuadorian goes solo inside the last 6 kilometres to power to gold. Wout van Aert sprints to silver, Tadej Pogacar takes bronze. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results road race Summer Olympics 2021

1. Richard Carapaz (ecu)
2. Wout van Aert (bel) + 1.07
3. Tadej Pogacar (slo) s.t.
4. Bauke Mollema (nld) s.t.
5. Michael Woods (can) s.t.
6. Brandon McNulty (usa) s.t.
7. David Gaudu (fra) s.t.
8. Rigoberto Uran (col) s.t.
9. Adam Yates (gbr) s.t.
10. Maximilian Schachmann (ger) s.t.

Race report
Juraj Sagan, Polychronis Tzortzakis, Nic Dlamini, Elchin Asadov, Michael Kurkle, Orluis Aular, Paul Daumont and Eduard Grosu jump clear in the early kilometres. The eight carve out a lead of almost 20 minutes.

Asadov, Aular and Grosu have been dropped when the attackers tackle the Fuji Sanroku. The lead of the other five falls to 5 minutes on the ascent, while Alejandro Valverde can’t follow the pace in the peloton.

Caruso, Benoot and Kelderman attack from the peloton on the Fuji International Speedway. Evenepoel counter attacks when they are brought back. Nibali and Dunbar go with him before they are brought back 5 kilometres before the steep Mikuni Pass.

Pogacar strikes in the climb, while McNulty and Woods bridge across. Van Aert leads the chase group until Kwiatkowski takes over. The Pole rejoins the leaders with Bettiol, Uran, Schachmann and Carapaz in his wheel. Van Aert, Mollema, Gaudu, Yates (Adam) and Fuglsang close down the gap later.

Woods puts pressure just before the summit, but the thirteen come together on descent.

McNulty stikes with 35 kilometres remaining and Carapaz jumps to his wheel. The two open a 50 seconds gap.

An attack by Van Aert with 12 kilometres to go and the gap shrinks to 15 seconds before Carapaz distances McNulty inside the last 6 kilometres, while the chasers gobble up McNulty.

Carapaz powers on to win the gold metal before Van Aert outguns Pogacar in a millimetre sprint.

Another interestig read: parcours Olympic road race.