By Roger Childs

Amidst celebrating Remco Evenepoel’s second Olympic Games gold medal in a week, his Belgian teammates recounted their young leader’s devastating series of attacks and how it left their rivals dazed, confused and defeated.  Laura Weislo and Alasdair Fotheringham in Cycling News 3 August 2024

Free viewing

For those who can’t afford tickets to venues or have a limited budget, there are plenty of events on the streets of Paris. So far there have been tens of thousands watching the cycling time trials, the individual triathlons, a road walk and the men’s cycling road race. Still to come are the marathons, more road walks and the women’s road race. Whatever the weather the fans will get out on the footpaths. 

Time trials 

One of the dangers of biking on streets is wet roads and in the time trials a number of riders hit the road. The women’s event was won by Australian Grace Brown followed by Anne Henderson from the UK and American Chloe Dygert, who had had a crash. There was a 90º turn at the beginning of the final straight and the inevitable happened for a number of unwary cyclists.

Fresh from his third placing in the Tour de France Remco Evenepoel from Belgium took out the men’s event, with Italian Filippo Ganna taking the silver medal and another Belgian and Tour veteran, Wout van Aert, winning the bronze medal. Huge crowds cheered the riders on, and the masses were out again for Friday’s men’s road race.

Could Evenepoel do it again in the road race?

Yes he could and in taking a second gold the Belgian created Olympic history. The race distance was 250km, much of it in the countryside, but finishing with several laps on the streets of Paris, many having rough cobblestones. With about 30km to go the Belgian super-star made his break but was soon joined by French cyclist Valentin Madouas.

The crowds were even larger than for the time trials and with urban laps passing through Montmatre, the cancan girls were out in the crowd in their dancing kit cheering on the competitors. The noise was deafening and everyone was wondering if Evenepoel could win a second gold medal.

 He wanted Madouas to share the lead as they ticked off the laps on the Paris streets, but the Frenchman wouldn’t “play ball”, so with 15m to go biking up a rise on a narrow road, the Belgian took off. 

He quickly put a minute on Madouas and seemed to be cruising to victory. But then the unexpected happened — Evenepoel got a puncture on the cobblestones with 3.8 km to go. Fortunately, his support vehicle was quickly on the scene and provided the anxious Belgian with a new bike. 

A true champion 

Remco Evenepoel won the event by over a minute with Madouas coming in second and, much to the delight of the thousands of French onlookers, another Frenchman, Christophe Laporte was 5 seconds back in third place. The Belgian dismounted just before the finish line and with the backdrop of the iconic Eiffel Tower thronged with spectators, he celebrated two gold medals within a week leaning on his bike.