British champion Pfeiffer Georgi finished fifth in the womens Olympic road race as American Kristen Faulkner took a hugely surprising gold medal.
Faulkner attacked her fellow breakaway companions, a high class group that included race favourite Lotte Kopecky (Belgium), Marianne Vos (Netherlands) and Blanka Vas (Hungary), with just over 3km to go.
As they all looked at each other, refusing to chase, Faulkner sailed away into the distance.
It was not immediately apparent whether Faulkner knew she had won. She did not celebrate at all as she crossed the line at Trocadero. With no race radios at the Olympics, riders are sometimes unaware of where they stand on the road.
Famously, Annemiek van Vleuten celebrated what she thought was a famous win in Tokyo three years ago only to discover that Austrian Anna Kiesenhofer had already crossed the line.
Georgi, who had been part of the days main breakaway along with fellow Britons Lizzie Deignan and Anna Henderson, easily outkicked Spains Mavi Garcia for fifth.
More to follow
Therell be a lot more words written about Kristen Faulkner tonight, but that was a very classy ride. The Harvard graduate and former venture capitalist didnt take up cycling until going on a bike ride in Central Park in 2017. Faulkner was also a late road race pick, replacing triathlete Taylor Knibb who had qualified a place. Shes given USA their first road race gold since Connie Carpenter in 1984.
Thats it from us, thanks for reading. Olympic track cycling starts tomorrow from 16:00 BST, with the first action from the velodrome. There is the womens team sprint qualifying and finals, plus qualifying rounds for the mens team pursuit and mens team sprint.
It was a chaotic finale, with riders and groups all over the roads, but in my opinion, the TV production left a lot to be desired and may have left some tele-spectators confused. Too many shots of the irrelevant chasing groups, not enough shots of the front of the race until the last 15 kilometres.
We didnt need to see the Wiebes group fruitlessly chasing or the race for ninth place, with Niewiadoma passing the dropped GB riders, when the action was in front.
Team GB were the ones with numbers and making moves deep into the finale, racing strongly as a team. Anna Henderson and Lizzie Deignan lit it up with attacks and worked hard for Pfeiffer Georgi. The 23-year-old rode strongly, but just missed out on a medal. Speaking to Eurosport, she said:
Im a bit gutted. I felt really good all day and just didnt have the legs on the last climb. The second time up, I tried something a bit on the descent but time trialling isnt my suit, so I didnt think it was going to pay off. I felt strong on the climb and was really hoping I could follow, but the legs just said no.
I have to be content with where I was.
1. Kristen Faulkner (USA) 3 hours 59 minutes 23 seconds2. Marianne Vos (Netherlands) at 58 seconds3. Lotte Kopecky (Belgium)4. Blanka Vas (Hungary)5. Pfeiffer Georgi (Great Britain) at 1 minute 21 seconds6. Mavi Garcia (Spain) at 1 minute 23 seconds7. Noemi Ruegg (Switzerland) at 2 minutes 4 seconds8. Kasia Niewiadoma (Poland) at 2 minutes 44 seconds9. Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy) at 3 minutes 5 seconds10. Marta Lach (Poland) at 3 minutes 27 seconds11. Lorena Wiebes (Netherlands) at 3 minutes 31 seconds12. Lizzie Deignan (Great Britain) at 3 minutes 34 seconds13. Anna Henderson (Great Britain)
Just spoke to Lizzie Deignan in the mixed zone. She said she had had an abysmal build up, with Covid at the Giro (which she didnt realise she was racing with) and then she was hospitalised a couple of weeks ago with a medical emergency. She didnt specify what that was.
But under the circumstances she said she was delighted. She went for a suicide move on Georgis behalf as she realised she had the best legs today. Deignan added that it was chaotic on the road and no one had a clue what was happening.
Eurosport has just caught up with the beaming winner, Kristen Faulkner of Team USA:
I feel like its a dream come true. I took a really big risk a few years ago to come pursue my dream and Ive made it happen. Its the best feeling in the world.
I had high hopes, Im racing team pursuit in two days, I said Id only do the road race if I felt strong and had a chance at a medal. I knew it was going to be a really tough race, but I knew if I was racing, it was to win, not to just participate.
I knew [Lotte] Kopecky wanted to catch the front two, I knew shed work with me. There were a few times she didnt seem like she wanted to, I had to make her work, I knew she wanted to win. That was her only chance to win, if we caught them.
I also knew that I had to attack, I couldnt beat them on the line. The best place to attack was right after we caught them and everyone was a bit tired. That was my chance. Ive practised my late attack several times this year, I felt pretty comfortable in how I would do it and hoped it would work.
Did she know that she had won when she crossed the finish line?
I was pretty sure I won, but to be honest, it was like what in the world has happened? I couldnt process it, it was too big to realise it had happened. I had to double check, triple check. I knew it but I didnt know it. Did I just win gold?
You might watch that later and legitimately ask: why did Vos, Vas and Kopecky do very little to chase her down?
Firstly, its likely they were all deeply fatigued from the 158km race. Its all decided in a matter of seconds.
Secondly, its a case of who blinks first loses: so close to the finish, spending energy going all-out to try and chase down the American would likely have meant sacrificing the gold medal, even if they did bring her back. Better to save energy and focus on the race for silver.
Thirdly, Faulkner was very strong, perhaps stronger than they expected.
She lies in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower with the stars and stripes flag around her. The US champion earned it, beating some of the most respected racers in the sport there – and she still has the team pursuit to come.
A blanket sprint for the other medals, Vos, Vas and Kopecky neck-and-neck, spread across the line. Thatll go to the photo finish.
Vos pipped Kopecky for silver, and its a painful fourth place for Vas. Twenty seconds later, Pfeiffer Georgi easily outkicks Garcia for fifth place.
A photo finish for the silver in the women’s road race! Wow.Marianne Vos takes it for the Netherlands, Lotte Kopecky is third and Blanka Vas fourth.#BBCOlympics #Olympics #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/AcdyVDJ3VN
BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 4, 2024
The US rider doesnt celebrate as she crosses the line and keeps going all out. Does she even know shes won? Youre the Olympic champion, Kristen. Theres no race radio communication for riders today, which might contribute to the confusion.
The mind-blowing strength of Kristen Faulkner. She graduated Harvard. She started out as a venture capitalist and did rowing, coming to pro cycling late.
She took her opportunity and did not hesitate. This is far and away the biggest win of the 31-year-old Alaskans short career. 500 metres to go. With a 30-second lead, shell be able to savour it.
With one last big turn from Kristen Faulkner (USA), we have four leaders. Blanka Vas (Hungary), Marianne Vos (Netherlands) and Lotte Kopecky (Belgium) will fight it out.
Or not: Faulkner attacks them straight away and her rivals look at each other. Nobody wants to chase. The gold medal is riding away up the road.
The moment Kristen Faulkner made a late attack! The other three riders stopped and stared, daring each other to chase but they couldn’t catch the American.#BBCOlympics #Olympics #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/x0do0WUC95
BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 4, 2024
After a corkscrewing, narrow, corner-strewn section, Kopecky and Faulkner have clawed back a little more time. The deficit is just three seconds. All four contenders are fatigued. Can they make the junction?
Marianne Vos has won everything there is to win. It would be some story if she managed to win a second Olympic gold on the road, 12 years after beating Deignan on The Mall in 2012. Would be her third Olympic gold in total, of course, having won the points race on the track in Beijing. Vos has won four of her last five sprints against Vas according to Pro Cycling Stats. Can these two hang on?
Its two versus two. Kopecky and Faulkner can see Vos and Vas in front of them. The gap is just seven seconds, about 150 metres.
Pfeiffer Georgi is chasing them hard, but it looks like shell finish fifth or sixth for Team GB. A sterling showing nevertheless from the youngster.
American racer Kristen Faulkner sets a vicious pace up the climb, drawing Lotte Kopecky (Belgium) with her. Georgi cannot stay with them.
Vos and Vas only lead by seven seconds as they start the descent.
At last, a shot of that chasing group. There are five riders there: Pfeiffer Georgi of Team GB, Mavi Garcia (Spain), Noemi Ruegg (Switzerland), Lotte Kopecky (Belgium) and Kristen Faulkner (USA). They are doing even turns to chase down the pair leaders.
Its in the balance. Still a chance of a medal for Georgi, but she may struggle to get the better of the classy Kopecky here.
Were getting precious little footage of the chasing group on the road from the TV producers. GB riders Henderson and Deignan have been dropped, as is Elisa Longo Borghini of Italy. Thats a surprise.
Theyre about to race up the Butte Montmartre for the last time. Expect a huge attack from pre-race favourite Lotte Kopecky (Belgium), if she has anything left. Pfeiffer Georgi is still in contention here, hanging tough.
The Dutchwoman and Hungarian are working well together, fitting given that partnership sounds like a hoary comedy duo. Pfeiffer Georgi and the chasers wont be laughing.
Both cut their teeth winning cyclo-cross races. Vas is at the other end of her career, 15 years younger than the pro cycling GOAT, the Olympic road champion back in 2012 who has won every race under the sun in her remarkable career.
Under pressure from Vas, Deignan is dropped. Blanka Vas (Hungary) and Marianne Vos (Netherlands) are in front, leading by 19 seconds. Are they riding off with gold and silver?
One more climb of the Butte Montmartre to go.
Well, there was such a dip in the pace that GB team-mates Anna Henderson and Lizzie Deignan are back after being dropped on the Butte Montmartre. Deignan goes straight past the idling leaders and on the attack.
Marianne Vos (Netherlands) and Blanka Vas (Hungary) are on her wheel, with Lotte Kopecky chasing hard behind.
The Briton has been brought back to heel and its stalemate.
Here are the nine leaders: Pfeiffer Georgi (Great Britain), Lotte Kopecky (Belgium), Marianne Vos (Netherlands), Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy), Blanka Vas (Hungary), Liane Lippert (Germany), Mavi Garcia (Spain), Noemi Ruegg (Switzerland) and Kristen Faulkner (Team USA).
Longo Borghini gives it a dig, followed by Vos. They are not working well together anymore in front.
Georgi rides hard over the Butte Montmarte, using her bike handling skills to distance Kristen Faulkner (Team USA). However, she only has a handful of seconds lead.
Puncture for Marta Lach (Poland) and shes out of the front group. Rotten luck.
Pfeiffer Georgis team-mates did a lot of hard work to set the pace for their GB leader and they have dropped off the lead group. Thats the numerical advantage gone. Unperturbed, Georgi takes up the pace at the front as she races past the Sacre Coeur.
Nine riders left in front, 27km to go.
Behind, Kasia Niewiadoma and Lorena Wiebes are attacking on the cobbled climb to make up the gap, but its still 45 seconds.
30km to go, and Henderson makes the most of the numerical advantage by going on the attack again. The Hemel Hempstead local has been prominent today. Marta Lach (Poland) joins her, then Marianne Vos (Netherlands) bridges across at speed. The group is threatening to break up as they hit the Butte Montmartre.
Great Britain are in a strong position, theyve done exceptionally well to get all three riders into the dozen-strong front group.
And yet, itll be a tough ask to beat the likes of Marianne Vos (Netherlands), Lotte Kopecky (Belgium) and Liane Lippert (Germany). Clearly, as Deignan and Henderson do the lions share of the pace-setting, theyre going all-in for Pfeiffer Georgi.
Theyre about to turn onto the Butte Montmartre for the second time.
Big cheers from the crowds here at the finish as the third chase group, led by Audrey Cordon Ragot, was given some screen time. If they can make it back, you might see Marc Madiot get as excited today as he did yesterday when Valentin Madous and Christophe Laporte took silver and bronze in the mens race.
“POUR LA FRAAAAAAAANCEEEEEE !”♂️ Nouveau MEME de Marc Madiot débloqué dans ces JO Si vous avez comme une envie de chair de poule, mettez le son à fond ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/K6iQn1CFoG
RMC (@RMCInfo) August 3, 2024
Lizzie Deignan sets the pace in front for the ten leaders, with Georgi saving energy at the back of the group. Team GB have their full contingent here in the front group and there is strength in numbers.
After Mavi Garcia (Spain) puts in a dig, Anna Henderson chases her down. They will be mindful of ensuring Vollering, Wiebes and company dont get back in touch: their group is 35 seconds behind.
This scenario suits Team GB contender Pfeiffer Georgi, with several dangerous rivals distanced down the road. The Demi Vollering group is 40 seconds away and she is getting little help from rivals.
She is setting the pace on the front with Kristen Faulkner (USA) on her wheel, followed by Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy) and Blanka Vas (Hungary). Lizzie Deignan grits her teeth and keeps the tempo high.
The Belgian contender is on her own, about 10 seconds in arrears. She ought to make it back on. Dutch stars Demi Vollering and Lorena Wiebes are in a bigger group, slightly further back. That delay before turning onto the climb has caused all sorts of problems.
Theres not much cohesion in the lead group. Anna Henderson and Lizzie Deignan have just chased back on, making it all three Team GB riders in front. Theyve got a numerical advantage, though the latter pair are tired.
Mavi Garcia (Spain) rides hard on the cobblestones of the Butte Montmartre with Kristen Faulkner (USA) at the front of the lead group. The camera helicopter pans out and we can see pre-race favourite Lotte Kopecky (Belgium) racing hard: she was stuck behind the Dygert fall and is having to make up time. That could impact how she races in the finale.
Elisa Longo Borghini and Marianne Vos dodged the carnage and are there. So is Pfeiffer Georgi of Team GB.
As the city circuit narrows before the first ascent of Butte Montmartre, Chloe Dygert (USA) goes down about twenty riders back, bringing down a few others. It slows down plenty of others. Deignan and Georgi were in front of the carnage, avoiding problems.
Its over for Hashimi and Tserakh, the last breakaways have been caught. What an effort from the pair. Leading the road race into central Paris over the Seine and past the Louvre, those are memories to last a lifetime.
Franziska Koch (Germany) jumps from the front of the bunch, but shes marked by Megan Armitage (Ireland) and neither have any joy. Alison Jackson of Canada, a former Paris-Roubaix winner, tries to escape as well. There are only 40 riders or so left in the bunch as they head back through central Paris.
There are 53km left to race and the bunch are five kilometres from the first ascent of the Butte Montmartre, a magnet for spectators and likely launchpad for wannabe winning moves. They will do three laps of the 18km finishing circuit, which has a couple of shorter drags too to push legs, head and lungs to the maximum.
Attacks come thick and fast now. Lizzie Deignan (Great Britain) gives it a go, followed by Elena Cecchini (Italy). Victoire Berteau (France) accelerates, but every move is being marked so far. Stalemate.
Henderson uses a lull in the pace to strike again. Marianne Vos (Netherlands) hits out to bring her back into the bunch. The breaks lead is dropping like a stone, down to 1:21.
On the steep gradients of the Côte du Pavé des Gardes, the last hill before those in central Paris, Mavi Garcia (Spain) launches an attack. Lizzie Deignan is a dozen wheels back, vigilantly following it. Anna Henderson bides her time in the wheel and launches an attack over the top. Its keeping the pace up and dropping a few riders in the bunch, including Ellen van Dijk (Netherlands).
In front, Hannah Tserakh (Individual Neutral Athletes) and Fariba Hashimi (Afghanistan) dropped their breakaway companions on the short, sharp climb.
Yulduz Hashimi (Afghanistan) sits up and waves her arms, amping up the watching crowd in the French capitals suburbs. She is enjoying leading the Olympic womens road race, in front alongside sister and compatriot Fariba, Rotem Gafinovitz (Israel), Hanna Tserakh (Individual Neutral Athletes), Nora Jencusova (Slovakia) and Thi That Nguyen (Vietnam).
The bunch is waking up behind, cutting their lead to 3:21. In 30 minutes or so, the racers will be back in Paris for three laps of the decisive 18km finishing circuit, where the kilometre-long, cobbled Butte Montmartre will be a launchpad for attacks.
Yulduz Hashimi hangs onto the Shimano neutral service car, getting some deft help from the mechanic sat inside to change her handlebar height. Up in the breakaway, three years after fleeing Afghanistan following the Talibans seizing of power, the 24-year-old doesnt want to pull over and risk having to play catch-up.
Back in the bunch, Anna Henderson is taking water bottles on and having a quick chat with GB team manager Matt Brammeier. Her silver medal in the time trial last weekend was a happy surprise and the former skier will want to add another piece of Olympic precious metal here.
Time trial doyenne Ellen van Dijk is powering away in the peloton for her decorated Dutch team-mates, cutting the breaks lead to 4:20. Shes had a race against time to recover from a fractured ankle sustained in early June; she still finds it hard to unclip her pedals from the bike, but shes doing a good job at turning them hard on the roads around Paris.
Olga Zabelinskaya (Uzbekistan) has been caught after her futile 30km escape between break and bunch.
As the six-rider break takes on the Côte du Saint-Remy-les-Chevreuse, Georgi is safely back in the bunch. They are 5:48 behind the leaders.
Olga Zabelinskaya (Uzbekistan) is 3:57 behind the break, on her lonesome having what the French call chasse patate in cycling terminology: a potato chase, a pointless endeavour.
No such drama for Team GBs three-time national champion, who stops at the side of the road. She quickly gets a new bike and is on her way again. Not ideal, but if youre going to have any kind of problem, now is the time for it, not the final 40km when its all-out racing in Paris.
Talk about a botched bike change. You could put the Benny Hill theme tune to that.
The New Zealander needs a new bike because of a puncture, but the mechanic only brings a new wheel and is dispatched back to the car. Once on her fetched steed, it transpires the battery is dead and she cant change out of the smallest gear.
Spinning her legs at about 200rpm for a couple of minutes, she eventually links up with her team car and the mechanic leans out of the car to fix the issue, necessitating a long chase through the convoy. Luckily, the race isnt on and the bunch is creaking along.
The mountain-loving SD Worx-Protime youngster is an outside bet for a medal, she could be one to go on the front foot up the Butte Montmartre.
As they pass the races most westerly point and head back to Paris, the chasers have caught our lone leader. The six in front are Fariba Hashimi (Afghanistan), Yulduz Hashimi (Afghanistan), Rotem Gafinovitz (Israel), Hanna Tserakh (Individual Neutral Athletes) ,Nora Jencusova (Slovakia) and Thi That Nguyen (Vietnam).
They lead veteran Olga Zabelinskaya by 3:22. The bronze medallist in the road race at London 2012 has clipped off the front in pursuit.
The peloton is 5:11 down, with Team GBs Lizzie Deignan, Pfeiffer Georgi and Anna Henderson safely in there. We havent seen much of them: theyre sat in the slipstream, saving energy for the showdown later.
Lotte Kopecky (Belgium) is top of most bookmakers lists, and with good reason. A fast-finishing sprinter who can climb with the best, she has very few weaknesses and will be a formidable challenger.
She won Paris-Roubaix, Strade Bianche and the Tour of Britain this year and has spent the season racing in the rainbow jersey after winning the world title in Glasgow last year.
The 28-year-old will hope to end her Olympic hoodoo. At Tokyo 2020, she crashed in both the omnium and Madison, wrecking her chances of a medal, and finished fourth in the road race.
It contains the Yashimi sisters, racing to inspire millions of women in Afghanistan – see the 13.10 GMT entry for more – alongside Rotem Gafinovitz (Israel), Hanna Tserakh (Individual Neutral Athletes) and Thi That Nguyen (Vietnam). They are gaining on the Slovakian, 25 seconds down.
With 115km left to race, a disinterested bunch is 3:30 in arrears. Were a long way from Kiesenhofer/Tokyo 2020 panic stations territory: realistically, these are six minnows up the road who dont pose a significant medal threat.
Its the calm before the storm as the bunch trundles west into the Chevreuse valley. World university road race champion Jencusova has taken a flyer, leading the bunch by 55 seconds, able to take in the grandeur of the Palace of Versailles without any other riders around her.
Yulduz Hashimi (Afghanistan) is chasing hard in no (wo)mans land, 25 seconds in arrears.
For so long, Lizzie Deignan has been the figurehead of British womens road racing, walking the walk and talking the talk. A vociferous advocate for women in sport, shes won over 40 races in her career including all the biggest ones: world road title, Commonwealth Games, Paris-Roubaix, Tour of Flanders, Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
She took a break from pro cycling in late 2021 to give birth to her second child, Shea. Since returning, shes done plenty of work for team-mates at her trade team, Lidl-Trek, and hasnt won a race individually. Sixth at last years World Championships road race is the pick of her performances.
While itll be some ride if she finishes higher than that, the experienced Yorkshirewoman has a knack for saving her best for the biggest occasions.
Bamogo is caught on the days first climb. As Ellen van Dijk (Netherlands) taps out a gentle pace – methinks well be seeing her on the front a lot today – several riders are already suffering and being dropped.
Former African continental champion Ese Lovina Ukpeseraye (Nigeria) is one of them, battling to stay in touch. She might not be on the podium this afternoon, but that green-and-white striped Nigerian team kit is a winner, one of the best in the bunch.
Just back from watching the start. Not a whole lot to report. The most startling thing for me was the way we went from Jeannie Longos solemn, ceremonial taps to Rock This Party (Everybody Dance Now) within the space of about half a second.
Chloe Dygert didnt seem to be hobbling following her crash in last weekends time trial. It will be interesting to see whether she finishes todays race given her track commitments this coming week. If shes not in contention, perhaps shell tap out.
I still have visions of Dygerts leg spasming in the mixed zone following that crash in the wet last Saturday. For some reason the US medic allowed her to carry on speaking to us for about 15 mins in the freezing cold after the spasm had passed. Seems like yonks ago.
The 25-year-old debutant is making the most of a slow-rolling peloton. Attacking in the Paris outskirts, she has a lead of 45 seconds, hunkered down in the drops. Shes making the most of this potential once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, though the forthcoming first climb of the day – the 2km Côte des Gardes – will likely slow her progress.
From the COVID-19-enforced postponement to the shock winner, not much went to plan at the Olympic womens road race for the favourites.
Rank outsider Anna Kiesenhofer went off the front on a long solo breakaway, the bunch were slow to cobble together a chase and they badly misjudged the Austrians strength and resolve. They left their efforts too late and she came away with the gold medal despite the hilly terrain, over a minute ahead of silver medallist Annemiek van Vleuten (Netherlands) and Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy).
Its one of the biggest shocks in modern cycling history. Kiesenhofer has done the square root of sod all since then, but shell always have that Olympic gold medal and the memories. The 33-year-old is on the start line today, but she wont be getting that kind of freedom up the road this afternoon.
The flag drops, 158km to go, racing is underway. The peloton rolls past the Notre-Dame and Pantheon. I cant think of a better event for showing off the cultural delights of Paris. Not that the French capital needs much help for attracting visitors.
Afghanistans Fariba Hashimi waves at the camera as the bunch takes on the five-kilometre neutralised section from the start on the Pont dIena.
Its not all about winning medals at the Olympics: that the two sisters, Fariba and Yulduz, are even racing here is some feat. They only started cycling six years ago and were stoned and insulted in their home country for racing in short clothes and without a head scarf. They fled their home country days after the Taliban returned to power in 2021 and have trained for the Olympics at the UCI World Cycling Centre in Switzerland.
We represent the oppressed women of Afghanistan who are not even allowed to go to school, Fariba told CBS News. I will win, and bring a smile to their faces and hope in their hearts, thinking one day they could also fulfil their dreams.
The 1980s and 1990s French star gives it the trois coups ritual with the big stick to get the race underway. She won gold in the Olympic road race at Atlanta 1996 and nine elite world road titles in a lengthy career, checquered by a positive test for ephredine and three missed doping tests.
Five minutes to go until the start. Last-minute toilet breaks for the riders. They probably dont want to hit social media today like Nils Politt (Germany), who had an upset stomach after having so many energy gels in the heat and had to stop at the Cafe des 2 Moulins in Montmartre, surrounded by fans, for a natural break during the race finale.
Of course, thats also one part of what makes cyclings road races so great: free, unfettered access to their heroes – even midrace, on this exceptional occasion.
The tens of thousands of fans on Rue Lepic and around Montmartre created an unforgettable atmosphere in yesterdays mens road race, and theyll no doubt be out in force in the Sunday sun to cheer on the women.
JO PARIS 2024 : Quand un cycliste doit faire ses besoins dans un café parisien… pic.twitter.com/kLxQDNejd6
La Dépêche du Midi (@ladepechedumidi) August 3, 2024
After taking a bronze medal in the time trial, despite crashing hard in the rain, Chloe Dygert is lining up here. Shes made of stern stuff.
Together with Kristen Faulkner, the pair of Americans will offer a threat on the attack, though theyll both likely have to pre-empt the expected moves from punchier contenders Kopecky and Vollering.
Meanwhile, Juliette Labous (France) had a flying TT, finishing fourth, and she will be there or thereabouts. Look out for Kasia Niewiadoma (Poland), Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Denmark), time trial gold medallist Grace Brown (Australia) and Kim Cadzow (New Zealand) too. With little control once the race splits up and the potential for favourites to mark one another out of conteiton, it ought to be a case of she who dares wins.
Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of the Olympic womens road race.
The 158km course will be one of the longest races of the year for this bunch. Realistically, Team GB will do very well to come away with a medal, given the versatility of pre-race favourite Lotte Kopecky (Belgium) and the unparalleled strength-in-depth of the Netherlands.
Even with the four-rider maximum in this dinky 93-rider field, the oranje possess a fearsome line-up: GOAT Marianne Vos, still winning regularly 18 years after her first senior world title, prolific sprinter Lorena Wiebes and reigning Tour de France Femmes champion Demi Vollering, who is perhaps best-suited to the punchy Butte Montmartre climb, the key test in the finishing circuit.
Starting at 13:00 BST, the riders will head west from the shadow of the Eiffel Tower through Versailles and out into the lumpy Chevreuse before returning and taking in three laps of the photogenic, fan-packed city centre loop up and through Montmartre in the last 50km. In total, the course includes 1,700 metres of elevation. There are no lofty, lung-busting mountains, but lots of short, leg-stinging hills.
Italy are not to be discounted either, with irrepressible attacker Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy) fresh off a Giro dItalia win and always one to leave everything out there.
Lizzie Deignan has ruled as a British contender for over a decade. She hit the big time with silver to Marianne Vos at London 2012 and has won almost every prestigious race under the sun sincve then – a world road title, Paris-Roubaix, the Tour of Flanders, Strade Bianche. At her fourth Olympic Games, can the stalwart and mother of two roll back the years one more time and challenge?
The form book suggests that team-mate and British road race champion Pfeiffer Georgi is a better outside tip for silverware. The 23-year-old has consistently been challenging for big wins this year, finishing third at Paris-Roubaix and fourth at Amstel Gold Race.
With such small teams and no race radios for on-the-fly time gaps or communication, perhaps having two cards to play will be in Team GBs favour. Belgium proved that yesterday, with Remco Evenepoel doing an Olympic road double with fellow favourite Wout van Aert tracking Mathieu van der Poel attacks behind.
Time trial silver medallist Anna Henderson completes the Team GB roster, bringing her big engine and bunch craft.
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