Cycling > Day by Day Recap

The final day of cycling featured both men's and women's mountain bike races. Both races were won by Athens medalists. Sabine Spitz, the 2004 bronze medalist handily took the women's event, while Julien Absalon was the first man to ever repeat Olympic gold in mountain bike.

BMX had to wait a day to award its first ever medals, due to heavy rain. Both finals featured crashes on the course with France's Anne-Caroline Chausson and Latvia's Maris Strombergs winning gold medals. The Americans made a strong showing, with Mike Day winning silver, and Donny Robinson and Jill Kintner earning bronze.

BMX made its Olympic debut to great air, rhythm sections, and fabulous crashes. All four Americans qualified to compete in the semifinal round, but Kyle Bennett suffered a seperated shoulder in his final qualifying heat.

Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton of Great Britain swept the men's and women's sprint golds. The British won 13 medals over the five days of track cycling at the Laoshan Velodrome, including 7 gold, 4 silver, and 2 bronze. In other action on the final day at the Olympic velodrome, Argentina's men won the Madison.

American Sarah Hammer crashed in the women's points race, ending her shot at a medal in these Olympics, after sitting out the Games in 2004. Marianne Vos of the Netherlands won the event, while the British team kept on rolling on the track, winning gold in the men's team pursuit event. 

Rebecca Romero defeated compatriot Wendy Houvenaghel in an all-British 3000m individual pursuit final, giving Britain two more medals on the cycling track. In the early rounds of the women's sprint, American Jennie Reed advanced into the quarterfinals.  

Britain's Chris Hoy won the men's keirin, while compatriot Bradley Wiggins won gold in the men's 4000m individual pursuit. Spain's Joan Llaneras won the men's point race, and Taylor Phinney failed to reach the medal round in the pursuit. American Sarah Hammer also failed to reach the finals  in the pursuit.  

Great Britain wins their first of what will be 13 medals at the Laoshan velodrome, as they take the men's team sprint gold.

On the day of time trials, American Kristin Armstrong was the star, winning the American women's first gold on the road since 1984. On the men's side, Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara won his second medal of the Beijing Games, adding his own gold to the bronze he won in the road race. American Levi Leipheimer took his own bronze in the time trial.

Nicole Cooke of Great Britain won the gold medal in the women's road race on day two of the Olympics, surviving a course slickened by an afternoon of heavy rain, and beating silver medalist Emma Johansson of Sweden and bronze medal winner Tatiana Guderzo of Italy to the finish.

 

Samuel Sanchez of Spain won the first cycling medal of the Beijing Olympics, winning the men's 152-mile road race in 6 hours, 23 minutes, 49 seconds. Italy's Davide Rebellin took the silver, with Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara sprinting to the finish to win bronze.