TNT Sports
Paris 2024: Women's cycling road race - recap: Kristen Faulkner takes gold ahead of Marianne Vos and Lotte Kopecky
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Published 04/08/2024 at 13:49 GMT+1
The final cycling road medals are up for grabs at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in the women's road race. Big hitters in the form of Lotte Kopecky, Lorena Wiebes, Demi Vollering and Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Elisa Longo Borghini will all be in contention while Team GB interest comes through Anna Henderson, already a silver medallist in the Time Trial in Paris.
'Taken 10 years to come to this moment' - Henderson had to 'rewire her brain' for cycling switch
Video credit: TNT Sports
PARIS 2024 WOMEN'S ROAD RACE REPORT
Kristen Faulkner performed a tactical masterclass two kilometres to the line in the women’s road race, breaking clear from a lead group of four containing race favourites Lotte Kopecky and Marianne Vos to solo to victory.
The 31-year-old took advantage of indecisiveness as the quartet passed the point where Remco Evenepoel had suffered a flat tyre just 24 hours, puncturing the hopes of world champion Kopecky and London 2012 Olympic champion Vos and using raw power to pull away on the banks of the Seine.
Read the full report here.
GOLD MEDALLIST - KRISTEN FAULKNER
"I feel like it's a dream come true. I took a really big risk a few years ago to come pursue my dream and I've made it happen. It's the best feeling in the world. I don't know how to describe it.
"I had high hopes. I'm racing team pursuit in two days so I said I would only do the road race if I felt strong and I felt like I had the chance of a medal, that's the only reason I'm here. I knew it was going to be a really tough race but I knew that if I was racing, I was racing to win, I wasn't racing to participate. I really had to come in with that ambition and if I wasn't trying for a medal, I wasn't going to race. That was a promise I made to my team pursuit teammates.
"I knew Kopecky wanted to catch the front two with me so would work with me. There were a few times she didn't seem like she wanted to work, but I had to make her work. I knew she wanted to win and that her only chance to win was if we caught them. I also knew that if we caught them, I had to attack because I couldn't beat any of them on the line.
"I knew that the best place to attack would be right after we caught them and when everyone was a bit tired. That was my chance and I've practised my late attack several times this year so I felt pretty comfortable in how to do it, I've practised it a lot and I just hoped it would work.
"I was pretty sure I won but to be honest, it was like what in the world has happened. I couldn't process it, it was too big to really realise it had happened. It took my a few minutes and I had to double check, triple check,'Did I win gold?' I knew it but I didn't know it!"
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BRONZE MEDALLIST - LOTTE KOPECKY
"First time before Montmartre I was already a little bit behind, I had to make the effort or I would have never been back in the race. It was [then] attacking and gambling and when Marianne and Blanka were in front I knew it was really hard to get back once they had 30 seconds, but we managed to come back.
"In the end she [Faulkner] went and the three of us we looked at each other and in the end I knew it would be very hard to win this race so I came here for a medal and actually I'm actually pretty proud to take the bronze. On paper she's [Vos] the fastest and then you start to think of course. Once Faulkner was out I knew we would not catch her back and then it's immediately the head on the medal."
PARIS 2024 - WOMEN'S ROAD RACE TOP TEN
1. Kristen Faulkner (USA) 3:39:23
2. Marianne Vos (The Netherlands) 0:58
3. Lotte Kopecky (Belgium) "
4. Blanka Vas (Hungary) "
5. Pfeiffer Georgi (Great Britain) 1:21
6. Mavi GarcĂa (Spain) 1:23
7. Noemi RĂĽegg (Switzerland) 2:04
8.Kasia Niewiadoma (Poland) 2:44
9. Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy) 3:05
10. Marta Lach (Poland) 3:27
Defending champion Anna Kiesenhofer finishes 52nd.
KOPECKY TAKES BRONZE!
I barely have the words, what an amazing race! The World Champion takes the final medal, Vas, after an incredibly impressive ride, finishes fourth.
VOS SILVER! WHO TOOK BRONZE?!
So close between Kopecky and Vas! Twelve years after her gold medal in London, the GOAT adds the 2024 Olympic silver to her palmares. She's never finished outside of the top ten at an Olympic road race.
KRISTEN FAULKNER IS OLYMPIC CHAMPION!
Take a bow! What a ride! EF-Oatly-Cannondale's Kristen Faulkner takes the USA's first women's road race Olympic gold since 1984! A reminder too, had Taylor Knibb not given up her place, Faulkner wouldn't have even been in this race. A magical moment in Paris as she takes the victory, powering across the line without even sitting up to celebrate. The 31-year-old, who took up cycling in 2017, wins by 58 seconds in front of the Eiffel Tower.
1KM TO GO - I THINK SHE'S GOING TO DO IT!
A sensational climb and final attack from Faulkner! WOW!
2.6KM TO GO - THE AMERICAN IS SOLO!
They've let her have the gap! Is she going to make it?!
3.4KM TO GO - FRONT GROUP CAUGHT, FAULKNER ATTACKS
She has a gap!
4KM TO GO - FRONT TWO STILL AHEAD
Vos and Vas still have the smallest of leads!
5KM TO GO - CHASERS SO CLOSE
Four seconds going into the final 5km!
6KM TO GO - GAP REMAINS THE SAME
Edge of your seat kind of stuff here! Can Vos and Vas hold on?!
7KM TO GO - STILL A GAP
Vos and Vas are still seven seconds ahead!
8.8KM TO GO - WILL IT BE A GROUP OF FOUR?
Seven seconds now as Kopecky and Faulkner try to catch Vos and Vas! So much drama in the final stages of this race!
9.5KM TO GO - KOPECKY, FAULKNER REDUCE THE GAP
12 seconds! A massive climb from the American with Kopecky on her wheel!
10KM TO GO - CAN THEY KEEP THIS LEAD?
The final Montmartre ascent and Vos and Vas have a 32-second gap!
12.4KM TO GO - VAS AND VOS STILL AHEAD
22-second gap now, Niewiadoma slots in behind Deignan and Henderson in search of the chasers. Chasing group made up of Kopecky, Faulkner, RĂĽegg, Georgi, Garcia.
13.9KM TO GO - NIEWIADOMA ATTACKS ON THE CLIMB
She's going in search of a medal here as she goes in search of the chase group.
15.9KM TO GO - VAS AND VOS WORKING WELL
They're working well as a pair to increase the gap, now 35 seconds.
17.5KM TO GO - WHAT A FRONT DUO!
Two incredibly talented riders leading the race now, with Vos in search of gold twelve years after her first road race Olympic title in London. They've got around a 30-second gap now.
20KM TO GO - NINE-SECOND GAP
Vos and Vas working up a lead here, Dygert goes clear to try and join group three.
21KM TO GO - VOS AND VAS TO THE FRONT
They join Deignan and then overtake her as she drops back!
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22.1KM TO GO - DEIGNAN GOES OVER THE TOP!
She makes it back into the front group and stages an attack! Vos and Vas try and close her down.
23.3KM TO GO - LONGO BORGHINI ACCELERATES
She attacks down the left-hand side of the road.
24.2KM TO GO - GEORGI BROUGHT BACK
Kopecky takes over at the front of the race!
25.4KM TO GO - KOPECKY LEADING THE CHASE
She's working to bring Georgi back, 55 seconds now to that group of three from the front of the race.
27.2KM TO GO - GEORGI GOES CLEAR!
Team GB have a small gap! Chase group of Wiebes, Andersson, and Niewadoma around 46 seconds back from Georgi.
27.9KM TO GO - HENDERSON DROPPED
Two British riders drop back on the climb now, but Georgi has now taken over at the front after the fantastic efforts of her teammates.
28.3KM TO GO - GARCIA GOES CLEAR!
She's solo on the climb!
28.5KM TO GO - DEIGNAN AT THE BACK
She drops back on the second CĂ´te de la butte Montmartre ascent.
29.8KM TO GO - ANOTHER HENDERSON ATTACK
She goes again, and is again followed by Garcia. Vos tries to bridge the gap.
31.1KM TO GO - HENDERSON ATTACK
She takes over from Deignan, but is closed down swiftly by Garcia.
31.3KM TO GO - DEIGNAN TAKES OVER AGAIN
Not long now until the CĂ´te de la butte Montmartre climb.
32.6KM TO GO - GARCIA, FAULKNER TAKE OVER
Deignan has done a great job of setting the pace for this front group.
33.6KM TO GO - DEIGNAN LEADS
Team GB still the only country with more than one rider in this front group with all three of their riders involved. Kopecky currently in fourth wheel. 43 seconds is the gap to the Wiebes group.
37.9KM TO GO - FRONT GROUP WITH 40 SECONDS
The riders in this front group: Vos, Deignan, Henderson, Georgi, Faulkner, Longo Borghini, Kopecky, Garcia, Lach, RĂĽegg, Lippert, Vas. Wiebes is leading the group behind, and you'd imagine the majority this front group will not be wanting another formidable sprinter to join them.
39.7KM TO GO - GAP FOR THE FRONT GROUP
They have a 40-second advantage now to the group containing the likes of Vollering, Wiebes, Uttrup Ludwig, Brown, and Niewiadoma.
40.5KM TO GO - DEIGNAN AT THE FRONT
Team GB have all three riders in this front group!
41.5KM TO GO - KOPECKY JOINS THE FRONT
She tucks in behind Poland's Marta Lach as she joins the front group.
43.3KM TO GO - GEORGI TO THE FRONT
The Team GB rider moves to the front of the race, Kopecky has them in her sights and is still solo as she battles to rejoin them. Wiebes and Vollering are currently in the group behind the World Champion.
45KM TO GO - KOPECKY IN SOLO PURSUIT
She's putting in the effort to try and get back to the leaders. Deignan and Henderson now also battling to remain with the front group after being dropped on the climb.
46.3KM TO GO - FRONT GROUP WITHOUT KOPECKY
She was caught up in the Dygert crash. Faulkner leads, followed by Garcia. Longo Borghini, Henderson, Deignan, and Georgi involved in this front group. Vos, Vas, Lippert, RĂĽegg also there.
47KM TO GO - FIRST MONTMARTRE ACSENT
Garcia leads up Montmartre for the first time!
48KM TO GO - FRONT TWO CAUGHT
In the meantime, Dygert's USA teammate Kristen Faulkner leads the bunch to the front two riders.
48KM TO GO - CRASH IN THE PELOTON
Dygert goes down as there's a crash in the peloton on a corner, looks like Elise Chabbey also goes down.
49.1KM TO GO - FRONT TWO IN SIGHT
The peloton can see them now...12 seconds is the gap.
50KM TO GO - STUNNING SCENES
The peloton go past the Louvre, and the roads are packed with fans!
51KM TO GO - SPAIN LEAD THE BUNCH
Heading towards the first Montmartre ascent! Garcia and Benito leading the peloton now. Fariba Hashimi and Tserakh are back together, 20 seconds ahead.
53KM TO GO - CHASE GROUP CAUGHT
The group of four have now been caught, joined by Ruby Roseman-Gannon, Cecchini, and Kasia Niewiadoma before the bunch make contact.
53.5KM TO GO - HASHIMI GOES CLEAR
Fariba Hashimi drops Tserakh! She goes solo at the front of the race as the attacks follow from the peloton, who are around 30 seconds away now.
54.4KM TO GO - ARMITAGE TAKES OVER
The sole Irish rider in this race takes over at the front of the peloton.
55.8KM TO GO - GAP FOR ALISON JACKSON
The 2023 Paris-Roubaix winner and former Canadian national road race champion goes slightly clear from the bunch! Gap to the front two now down to around 56 seconds.
56.4KM TO GO - GERMANY NEXT TO GO
Franziska Koch is the next to increase the pace, closed down by Megan Armitage.
57.9KM TO GO - FURTHER ATTACKS
Not long until they reach the finishing circuit in Paris, and the bunch is really beginning to kick off now. Fariba Hashimi and Tserakh are currently 1:06 ahead of the peloton, 18 seconds ahead of the four riders who were previously with them in the breakaway group.
59.4KM TO GO - VOS GOES AGAIN
Another attack from Vos, she's followed by Blanka Vas and Persico. I imagine it won't be long before the front two are caught with these repeated attacks happening thick and fast now.
61KM TO GO - MORE ATTACKS!
Lauretta Hanson (Australia) is the next to go, closely followed by Silvia Persico of Italy. Lots of attacking going on here, and the gap has dropped down to 1:23.
61.4KM TO GO - VOS ATTACKS!
She brings the bunch back to her Visma Lease a Bike teammate.
61.8KM TO GO - HENDERSON ATTACKS, AGAIN!
Another from Team GB!
63KM TO GO - DEIGNAN UPS THE PACE
Team GB are really piling on the pressure now, Italy's Elena Cecchini reacts.
65.5KM TO GO - HENDERSON ATTACKS!
The Team GB rider creates a small gap! She's closed down by a counter attack led by Demi Vollering, but the peloton is beginning to thin out now with these attacks. They're 2:07 behind the front group, and are setting the speed camera off on the descent!
67KM TO GO - GARCIA UPS THE PRESSURE
Spain's Mavi Garcia increases the pace at the front of the race, Vos closes her down quickly.
68KM TO GO - CRASH IN THE PELOTON
Margot Vanpachtenbeke goes down on a central reservation, Milagro Mena also crashes as a result. Both get up and continue.
68.3KM TO GO - BUNCH SPLITS
Fariba Hashimi and Tserakh split from the other four riders on the Côte du Pavé des Gardes climb as the gap from the peloton continues to drop (3:06).
72.7KM TO GO - GAP UNDER A MINUTE
Gap now down to 3:39 as the orange jerseys power the peloton.
75.8KM TO GO - DUTCH TEAM PULL THE PELOTON
Van Dijk is joined at the front of the peloton by Vos, Vollering, and Wiebes. Gap now down to 4:05. Henderson goes back to the Team GB car to get a bidon.
79KM TO GO - CHASER CAUGHT
Zabelinskaya caught as Van Dijk leads the peloton to make contact. They've got a gap of around 4:14 to the front group of six. Yulduz Hashimi receives assistance from the neutral service car to help tighten her handlebars.
80.6KM TO GO - GAP DROPS SLIGHTLY
Van Dijk is still putting in the work at the front of the peloton. She's reduced the gap to the front group to 4:23, and the bunch are only ten seconds behind Zabelinskaya now.
85.1KM TO GO - JENCUSOVA REJOINS THE GROUP
She's ridden her way back to the front group and thanks them for their support. The peloton are around five minutes back, Zabelinskaya, the oldest rider in the race, is still the solo chaser and she's four minutes behind the front of the race.
86.6KM TO GO - FRONT GROUP SUPPORTING
A lovely moment in the front group as Jenčušová, who led for a while earlier on in the race, is supported by the breakaway as they try to help her keep going despite a problem with her chain. She's unable to stay with them despite their efforts, and she drops back to get the issue sported.
88KM TO GO - VAN DIJK PULLS THE PELOTON
The Lidl-Trek rider ups the pace in the bunch, who are currently 5:35 behind the lead group. Zabelinskaya four minutes back from the front.
92.7KM TO GO - GAP AROUND SIX MINUTES
The lead continues to increase for the front group of six, Zabelinskaya currently around 3:40 behind them. Georgi is riding back towards the peloton after her bike change.
95.3KM TO GO - BIKE CHANGE FOR TEAM GB
Georgi swaps bikes. The back-to-back British champion is definitely one to watch today, particularly when it comes to the final circuit. She finished third at Paris-Roubaix this year, with Kopecky taking the title in the sprint.
98.7KM TO GO - UNDER THE 100 MARK
Less than 100km to go now! The front group currently have a lead of around 5:30 ahead of the bunch, Zabelinskaya is 3:20 back from the front six.
100.2KM TO GO - FISHER-BLACK BACK GOING
It looked to be a problem with the battery on the gears on her spare bike, but the mechanic manages to swap the batteries over and she goes back in search of the bunch. A stressful few minutes for the New Zealand team!
101.7KM TO GO - PROBLEMS FOR FISHER-BLACK
Awful luck for New Zealand's Niamh Fisher-Black who has a mechanical, swaps bikes, but something seems to be wrong with her new bike and she drops further back as she searches for some assistance from her team car.
106KM TO GO - ACCELERATION IN THE BUNCH
Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio ups the pace but she's closed down quickly by her AG Insurance - Soudal teammate Mireia Benito, who's riding for Spain today.
108KM TO GO - ATTACK FROM THE PELOTON
Olga Zabelinskaya goes clear from the bunch! She won bronze at London 2012.
108.4KM TO GO - LEADER CAUGHT
Now a front group of six, but the peloton are accelerating in a bid to close them down. Kiesenhofer is off the back of the bunch and looks like she's struggling to keep up.
109.5KM TO GO - LEADER IN SIGHT
The chase group of five are only six seconds behind the lone leader, who is over four minutes ahead of the bunch.
113.2KM TO GO - GAP AT FOUR MINUTES
Jenčušová has a four minute lead on the peloton, but the chase group are only 11 seconds behind.
119.8KM TO GO - CHASER CAUGHT
Yulduz rejoins her sister Fariba as the group of four catch her and swell to five. Just over an hour of racing completed and Jenčušová remains ahead of the bunch by around three minutes.
123.2KM TO GO - THREE BECOME FOUR
Rotem Gafinovitz is joined by the three riders who followed her attack. Yulduz Hashimi and Jenčušová are still both up the road solo.
125KM TO GO - GROUP OF THREE BREAK FROM THE BUNCH
Fariba Hashimi, Thị Tháşt Nguyá»…n, and Hanna Tserakh form a group of three as they counter attack from the bunch. JenÄŤušová still leads the race, around 1:37 ahead of the peloton.
127KM TO GO - ANOTHER ATTACK
Rotem Gafinovitz stages an attack and goes clear, but counter attacks follow from the peloton.
130KM TO GO - ACTION IN THE PELOTON
Afghanistan's Yulduz Hashimi splits from the peloton as she goes in search of the lone attacker! Great to see the Afghan riders making their mark today, what a journey the two sisters have had to reach this point.
132KM TO GO - KOPECKY TAKES A BOTTLE
The Belgian rider drops back to the team car to take on some hydration, but it looks like it's not the one she wanted. Jenčušová currently 46 seconds clear.
THE NETHERLANDS - A STRONG TEAM
The Dutch have brought a stacked team to today's road race with Lorena Wiebes as leader and Ellen van Dijk, Demi Vollering, and Marianne Vos in support. All individually, on their day, could take the title, so it will be interesting to see how their race pans out today. With Vollering and Wiebes currently both racing alongside Kopecky at SD Worx-Protime, they'll know the current World Champion better than many. Could that play into their hands today? Vos won gold in 2012, so she also knows what it takes to win on the biggest stage.
136.7KM TO GO - GAP INCREASES
Lots of early action going on so far, and Jenčušová has currently worked up a solo lead of around 36 seconds. The peloton are yet to react.
139KM TO GO - SMALL GAP FOR SLOVAKIA
Nora Jenčušová stages another attack and is succuessful in going clear from the peloton.
140KM TO GO - ANOTHER ACCELERATION
Antri Christoforou ups the pace this time but is brought back.
142.2KM TO GO - CADZOW ATTACKS
New Zealand’s Kim Cadzow attacks at the front of the race and begins to string out the peloton. Van Dijk looks to have it under control and Cadzow doesn't manage to split from the group.
143.5KM TO GO - PRESSURE RAMPS UP
A few riders struggling on the climb as the pressure from the front of the group increases, Nesrine Houil (Algeria), Safia al Sayegh (United Arab Emirates), and Diane Ingabire (Rwanda) all drop back.
144.6KM TO GO - BAMOGO CAUGHT
The peloton bring Bamogo back as the CĂ´te des Gardes climb begins.
145.9KM TO GO - VAN DIJK LEADS THE BUNCH
Van Dijk will be a key figure in the peloton today as she hopes to control proceedings for her team, with Wiebes named as their leader today. Bamogo with a lead of around 50 seconds.
TEAM GB - CONTENDERS FOR TODAY
Just three riders in the Team GB colours today with Lizzie Deignan, Anna Henderson, and Pfeiffer Georgi in the road race. It's both Henderson and Georgi's first Olympic road race, but Henderson already has a silver medal from this Olympics after a fantastic time trial effort. By contrast, it's Deignan's fourth Olympic road race, and she has a sliver medal from London 2012 in this event.
150KM TO GO - GAP GROWS
Bamogo with a 40-second gap now, defending champion Kiesenhofer currently sits towards the back of the bunch while two riders in the Swiss team take over at the the front.
153.3KM TO GO - NO REACTION
The peloton have let the solo attacker go clear, and she currently has a 23-second lead in the early stages of the race.
155.3KM TO GO - FIRST ATTACK OF THE DAY!
Awa Bamogo of Burkina Faso is the first to stage an attack and break free from the bunch! Ellen van Dijk moves to the front of the peloton after the move.
158KM TO GO - LET THE RACE BEGIN!
Here we go then, the Paris 2024 women's road race has officially begun!
THE PARCOURS - PARIS 2024 WOMEN’S ROAD RACE
The women’s road race at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games covers 158km. This includes two laps of a 18.4km loop before the finish, with a total of 1,700 metres of climbing throughout the race.
There’s a total of nine climbs on the route, four of which occur within 30km of each other (Côte de Cernay-la-Ville, Côte de Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse, Côte de Châteaufort, and Côte du Pavé des Gardes).
Starting at Jardins du Trocadéro, the riders will make their way out of the city before they meet the summit of the first climb Côte des Gardes (1.9km, 6% average) after 14km. At 19km they’ll pass the Palace of Versailles, before the next climb, Côte de Port-Royal (1km, 5% average).
Take a look at more of the route here.
THEY'RE OFF!
The 5.2km neutralised start is underway, and what a stunning backdrop the Eiffel Tour is providing.
ANNA KIESENHOFER - TOKYO 2020 CHAMPION
Who could forget Anna Kiesenhofer's stunning solo victory in Tokyo?! She'll be wearing number one today, but has backed Austrian teammate Christina Schweinberger as their biggest hope for today's race. Kiesenhofer was one of many riders who crashed during the time trial, her preferred discipline, earlier in the Games but she has recovered well enough to start today which is great to see.
MEN'S ROAD RACE - EVENEPOEL MAKES HISTORY
Belgium's Remco Evenepoel made history yesterday as he became the first male rider, and the first rider in 24 years to win both the Olympic time trial and road race since Leontien Zijlaard first accomplished the feat in 2000. Will Lotte Kopecky do the road race double for Belgium today? She looks to be a strong favourite, but will have strong competition, particularly from trade teammates Demi Vollering and Lorena Wiebes who will both be racing for The Netherlands in Paris today.
WELCOME - PARIS 2024 WOMEN’S ROAD RACE
The long-awaited women’s road race is finally here! Only one out of 92 riders can take the coveted Olympic gold, but who will it be? In a few hours we’ll find out at the iconic finish line by the Eiffel Tower after the longest women's Olympic road race to date at 158km.
discovery+ is the streaming home of the Olympic Games, and the only place you can watch every moment of Paris 2024 this summer
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