Cycling at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Men's road race
Encyclopedia
Men's Road Race at the 2004 Summer Olympics
(Cycling
).
In a race that showed numerous break away attempts, it wasn't until Paolo Bettini
and Sérgio Paulinho
broke away from the group with a couple of laps remaining and opened up a comfortable gap on the final lap that an idea of the medal positions could be gained. With the peloton
giving up the chase of the leaders, Axel Merckx
broke away to open up a sufficient gap for him to take bronze. Bettini out sprinted Paulinho for the gold, finishing in a time of 5 hours 41 minutes and 44 seconds. Among the other pre-race favourites, World Champion Igor Astarloa
of Spain
crashed on the opening lap, and 2000 Olympic road race champion Jan Ullrich
finished among the peloton in 19th place. A number of other top names in the field, including Germany
's Andreas Klöden
and Russia
's Viatcheslav Ekimov
, pulled out before the end of the race, presumably with the Time Trial race, to be held four days later, in mind.
Date: August 14
Start: 12:45
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
(Cycling
Cycling at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Cycling at the 2004 Summer Olympics had 18 events in three disciplines:*Road cycling, held at the Athens historic centre and in Vouliagmeni Olympic Centre ....
).
In a race that showed numerous break away attempts, it wasn't until Paolo Bettini
Paolo Bettini
Paolo Bettini is an Italian former champion road racing cyclist, and the coach of the Italian national cycling team. Considered the best classics specialist of his generation, and probably one of the strongest of all times, he won gold medals in the 2004 Athens Olympics road race and in the 2006...
and Sérgio Paulinho
Sérgio Paulinho
Sérgio Miguel Moreira Paulinho is a Portuguese road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . He was a domestique in the 2007, 2009 and 2010 Tour de France....
broke away from the group with a couple of laps remaining and opened up a comfortable gap on the final lap that an idea of the medal positions could be gained. With the peloton
Peloton
The peloton , field, bunch or pack is the large main group of riders in a road bicycle race. Riders in a group save energy by riding close near other riders...
giving up the chase of the leaders, Axel Merckx
Axel Merckx
Axel Merckx , is a Belgian former professional road bicycle racer who retired from the sport in August 2007. Since he began his professional career in 1993, he has won an Olympic Bronze medal and competed in 8 Tours de France, finishing in 6 as the highest-placed Belgian rider...
broke away to open up a sufficient gap for him to take bronze. Bettini out sprinted Paulinho for the gold, finishing in a time of 5 hours 41 minutes and 44 seconds. Among the other pre-race favourites, World Champion Igor Astarloa
Igor Astarloa
Igor Astarloa Askasibar is a retired cyclist from Spain.-Career:Astarloa turned professional with the Italian cycling team and enjoyed his best season in 2003 with team when he won the Flèche Wallonne and the road race title at the World Cycling Championships at Hamilton, Canada...
of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
crashed on the opening lap, and 2000 Olympic road race champion Jan Ullrich
Jan Ullrich
Jan Ullrich is a German former professional road bicycle racer. In 1997, he was the first German to win the Tour de France. He went on to take five second places and a fourth in 2004 and third in 2005. He is considered one of the best time-trialists in the history of the sport...
finished among the peloton in 19th place. A number of other top names in the field, including Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
's Andreas Klöden
Andreas Klöden
Andreas Klöden is a German professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major achievements include a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games and second place in the 2004 Tour de France and 2006 Tour de France...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
's Viatcheslav Ekimov
Viatcheslav Ekimov
Viatcheslav Vladimirovich Ekimov , nicknamed Eki, is a Russian former professional racing cyclist...
, pulled out before the end of the race, presumably with the Time Trial race, to be held four days later, in mind.
Date: August 14
Start: 12:45
Final classification
| Rank | Rider | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5h 41′ 44″ | |
| 2 | 5h 41′ 45″ | |
| 3 | 5h 41′ 52″ | |
| 4 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 5 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 6 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 7 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 8 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 9 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 10 | 5h 41′ 56″ |
| Final Classification (11–75) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 11 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 12 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 13 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 14 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 15 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 16 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 17 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 18 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 19 | 5h 41′ 56″″ | |
| 20 | 5h 41′ 56″″ | |
| 21 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 22 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 23 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 24 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 25 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 26 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 27 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 28 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 29 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 30 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 31 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 32 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 33 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 34 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 35 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 36 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 37 | 5h 41′ 56″ | |
| 38 | 5h 42′ 03″ | |
| 39 | 5h 42′ 03″ | |
| 40 | 5h 42′ 03″ | |
| 41 | 5h 42′ 29″ | |
| 42 | 5h 43′ 03″ | |
| 43 | 5h 43′ 20″ | |
| 44 | 5h 44′ 13″ | |
| 45 | 5h 44′ 13″ | |
| 46 | 5h 44′ 13″ | |
| 47 | 5h 44′ 13″ | |
| 48 | 5h 44′ 13″ | |
| 49 | 5h 44′ 13″ | |
| 50 | 5h 44′ 13″ | |
| 51 | 5h 45′ 21″ | |
| 52 | 5h 47′ 13″ | |
| 53 | 5h 48′ 48″ | |
| 54 | 5h 50′ 35″ | |
| 55 | 5h 50′ 35″ | |
| 56 | 5h 50′ 35″ | |
| 57 | 5h 50′ 35″ | |
| 58 | 5h 50′ 35″ | |
| 59 | 5h 50′ 35″ | |
| 60 | 5h 50′ 35″ | |
| 61 | 5h 50′ 35″ | |
| 62 | 5h 50′ 35″ | |
| 63 | 5h 50′ 35″ | |
| 64 | 5h 50′ 35″ | |
| 65 | 5h 50′ 35″ | |
| 66 | 5h 50′ 35″ | |
| 67 | 5h 50′ 35″ | |
| 68 | 5h 50′ 35″ | |
| 69 | 5h 50′ 35″ | |
| 70 | 5h 50′ 35″ | |
| 71 | 5h 51′ 28″ | |
| 72 | 5h 51′ 28″ | |
| 73 | 5h 51′ 28″ | |
| 74 | 5h 56′ 45″ | |
| 75 | 6h 00′ 25″ |
| Did not finish |
|---|