Paris Olympics 2024: Remco Evenepoel brings glory to Belgium with gold in men's road race

Remco Evenepoel had earlier won the men’s individual time trial at Paris Olympics 2024.

Remco Evenepoel achieved another extraordinary feat, perhaps the greatest so far in his career, winning the road race of the Paris Olympics 2024 on Saturday, a week after he dominated the individual time trial (ITT). The Belgian’s harvest is unprecedented in men’s Olympic road cycling. Dutch icon Leontien van Moorsel achieved the double victory in the women’s road race and ITT at the Olympic Games Sydney 2000.

The host nation celebrated two French medals, with Valentin Madouas holding on to finish second just ahead of his countryman Christophe Laporte, the fastest among the chasers.

Ninety riders, representing 55 nations took to the Parisian roads, starting from the Trocadéro, in front of the Eiffel Tower, and heading west, towards Versailles and the Olympic Games coming from Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, stage of the BMX Racing events on Thursday and Friday, and host of the track races from Monday at Paris Olympics 2024. The final circuit, back in Paris, notably visited Montmartre. 

Achraf Ed Doghmy (Morocco), Christopher Rougier-Lagane (Mauritius), Thanakan Chaiyasombat (Thailand), Charles Kagimu (Uganda) and Eric Manizabayo (Rwanda) led the race during the long loop ahead of the final circuit in Paris. Their gap went over 14 minutes before the peloton moved closer and Elia Viviani (Italy), Ryan Mullen (Ireland) and Georgios Bouglas (Greece) bridged the gap.

Also Read: Paris Olympics 2024: Belgian Remco Evenepoel continues winning streak in cycling

Most of the action unfolded on the return to Paris, with extraordinary crowds awaiting the riders. The spectators were gifted a strong attack from Mathieu Van der Poel (the Netherlands), closely followed by the likes of Wout van Aert (Belgium) and Julian Alaphilippe (France), while Ireland’s Ben Healy was leading the race.

It was the next lap that saw Remco Evenepoel turn up the ante, to join a chase group and get back to Healy. After the second of three ascents up Montmartre, only France’s Madouas managed to stay with the Belgian at the front. He was eventually dropped with 15km to go, leaving the way for Remco Evenepoel’s extraordinary double despite a late scare with a mechanical only 4km from the finish. At 24 years old, the Belgian is already among the greatest champions in the history of the sport.

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