Cycling at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's road time trial
Encyclopedia
The Men's road time trial at the 2008 Summer Olympics
took place on 13 August at the Urban Road Cycling Course
. It was won by Fabian Cancellara
of Switzerland.
, and Germany's Stefan Schumacher
, who won both time trials in the 2008 Tour de France
, defeating Cancellara in each. Other cyclists considered to be possible medalists included American Dave Zabriskie, and Australians Michael Rogers and Cadel Evans
. Evans had originally announced that he was withdrawing from the time trial with a knee injury, giving his place in the event to Rogers, but he recovered faster than expected. The UCI
thus gave him a wildcard entry to let him compete. American Levi Leipheimer
, Spaniard Alberto Contador
, Italy's Marzio Bruseghin
and Denis Menchov
of Russia were also thought to be contenders for the podium.
The leader at the end of the first group of 13 was Svein Tuft
(Canada), completing the course in 1h 04' 39". This was 23 seconds clear of the next closest competitor Robert Gesink
(Netherlands). They were still the top two riders after the second group, with American David Zabriskie
and Russian Denis Menchov
, thought to be podium contenders, both turning in disappointing rides.
The medalists all came in the third group. Gustav Larsson of Sweden, starting seventh from the end, beat Tuft by nearly two minutes. The man after Larsson, American Levi Leipheimer
, was 36 seconds slower than Larsson, but held on to win bronze. The event's prohibitive favorite, world time trial champion Fabian Cancellara
, started last, and though he was six seconds behind Larson's pace at the final time check, he wound up winning the gold medal by a margin of 33 seconds. The other major gold medal favorite, Stefan Schumacher
of Germany, finished over three minutes behind Cancellara.
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2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
took place on 13 August at the Urban Road Cycling Course
Urban Road Cycling Course
The Urban Cycling Road Course was one of nine temporary venues used during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China. The road cycling race started at the North Square of Yongdingmen in Beijing's Chongwen District and finished at Juyong Pass in Changping District...
. It was won by Fabian Cancellara
Fabian Cancellara
Fabian Cancellara is a Swiss professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . A time trial specialist, he is a four-time World Time Trial Champion and is the current Olympic gold medalist...
of Switzerland.
Pre-race favorites
Included among the favorites for victory were Cancellara, the reigning world time trial champion2007 UCI Road World Championships - Men's Time Trial
The 2007 edition of the UCI Road World Championships Time Trial took place on September 27. The Championships was hosted by the German city of Stuttgart, and featured two laps of an urban circuit, amounting to 44.9 kilometres of racing against the clock....
, and Germany's Stefan Schumacher
Stefan Schumacher
Stefan Schumacher is a German professional road racing cyclist.-Career:First professionally employed with Team Telekom in 2002, he was released the following year...
, who won both time trials in the 2008 Tour de France
2008 Tour de France
The 2008 Tour de France was the 95th Tour de France. The event took place from 5–27 July 2008. Starting in the French city of Brest, the tour entered Italy on the 15th stage and returned to France during the 16th, heading for Paris, its regular final destination, which was reached in the 21st stage...
, defeating Cancellara in each. Other cyclists considered to be possible medalists included American Dave Zabriskie, and Australians Michael Rogers and Cadel Evans
Cadel Evans
Cadel Lee Evans is an Australian professional racing cyclist and winner of the 2011 Tour de France. Early in his career, Evans was a champion mountain biker, winning the World Cup in 1998 and 1999 and placing seventh in the men's cross-country mountain bike race at the 2000 Summer Olympics in...
. Evans had originally announced that he was withdrawing from the time trial with a knee injury, giving his place in the event to Rogers, but he recovered faster than expected. The UCI
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
thus gave him a wildcard entry to let him compete. American Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a...
, Spaniard Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
, Italy's Marzio Bruseghin
Marzio Bruseghin
Marzio Bruseghin is an Italian professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His best achievement is winning the 2006 Italian time-trial championship, as well as winning two time trial stages in the Giro d'Italia...
and Denis Menchov
Denis Menchov
Denis Nikolayevich Menchov , born 25 January 1978 in Oryol, is a professional Russian road bicycle racer for . He is a general classification rider and a climber. In 2005 he won the Vuelta a España, which he won for a second time in 2007...
of Russia were also thought to be contenders for the podium.
The event
The men's road time trial took place on a mountainous 47.6 km course consisting of two 23.8 km laps each containing an approximately 305 m climb followed by an equal descent. The 39 riders in the time trial were broken into three groups, who would race the clock one hour separate from one another. Most of the medal favorites were in the last group. Each rider started the course a minute and thirty seconds after the rider who went before them.The leader at the end of the first group of 13 was Svein Tuft
Svein Tuft
Svein Tuft is a Canadian road bicycle racer and the UCI America Tour champion. Tuft currently races for Canadian Professional Continental Cycling Team 'SpiderTech'. He is the current Canadian road and time trial champion.-Personal life:...
(Canada), completing the course in 1h 04' 39". This was 23 seconds clear of the next closest competitor Robert Gesink
Robert Gesink
Robert Gesink is a Dutch professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam Rabobank.-Early years:At the Junior World Championships of 2004 UCI Road World Championships in Verona, Gesink finished eighth in the individual time trial and sixth in the road race, while riding for team De Peddelaars in...
(Netherlands). They were still the top two riders after the second group, with American David Zabriskie
David Zabriskie
David Zabriskie is a professional road bicycle racer from the United States who rides for . His main strength is individual time trials and his career highlights include stage wins in all three Grand Tour stage races and winning the US National Time Trial Championship six times...
and Russian Denis Menchov
Denis Menchov
Denis Nikolayevich Menchov , born 25 January 1978 in Oryol, is a professional Russian road bicycle racer for . He is a general classification rider and a climber. In 2005 he won the Vuelta a España, which he won for a second time in 2007...
, thought to be podium contenders, both turning in disappointing rides.
The medalists all came in the third group. Gustav Larsson of Sweden, starting seventh from the end, beat Tuft by nearly two minutes. The man after Larsson, American Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a...
, was 36 seconds slower than Larsson, but held on to win bronze. The event's prohibitive favorite, world time trial champion Fabian Cancellara
Fabian Cancellara
Fabian Cancellara is a Swiss professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . A time trial specialist, he is a four-time World Time Trial Champion and is the current Olympic gold medalist...
, started last, and though he was six seconds behind Larson's pace at the final time check, he wound up winning the gold medal by a margin of 33 seconds. The other major gold medal favorite, Stefan Schumacher
Stefan Schumacher
Stefan Schumacher is a German professional road racing cyclist.-Career:First professionally employed with Team Telekom in 2002, he was released the following year...
of Germany, finished over three minutes behind Cancellara.
Final classification
| Rank | Rider | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1:02:11 | ||
| 1:02:44 | ||
| 1:03:21 | ||
| 4 | 1:03:29 | |
| 5 | 1:03:34 | |
| 6 | 1:04:37 | |
| 7 | 1:04:39 | |
| 8 | 1:04:46 | |
| 9 | 1:04:59 | |
| 10 | 1:05:02 | |
| 11 | 1:05:07 | |
| 12 | 1:05:17 | |
| 13 | 1:05:25 | |
| 14 | 1:05:26 | |
| 15 | 1:05:36 | |
| 16 | 1:05:42 | |
| 17 | 1:05:47 | |
| 18 | 1:05:52 | |
| 19 | 1:05:55 | |
| 20 | 1:06:10 | |
| 21 | 1:06:12 | |
| 22 | 1:06:20 | |
| 23 | 1:06:29 | |
| 24 | 1:06:32 | |
| 25 | 1:06:35 | |
| 26 | 1:07:12 | |
| 27 | 1:07:27 | |
| 28 | 1:07:34 | |
| 29 | 1:07:52 | |
| 30 | 1:07:53 | |
| 31 | 1:07:55 | |
| 32 | 1:08:01 | |
| 33 | 1:08:10 | |
| 34 | 1:08:43 | |
| 35 | 1:08:46 | |
| 36 | 1:08:54 | |
| 37 | 1:09:04 | |
| 38 | 1:09:06 | |
| 39 | 1:11:05 |