Racing

Rio 2016 cycling: road races – photo gallery

Belgium's Greg van Avermaet and Dutchwoman Anna van der Breggen win gold in the Olympic road races

With cobbles, steep climbs, rapid and technical descents and a fast finish alongside Copacabana beach, the Rio 2016 road races proved every bit as unpredictable as expected.

Belgium’s Greg van Avermaet won the men’s race to claim the first cycling gold medal of the 2016 Olympic Games, while Anna van der Breggen won women’s road race gold for the Netherlands.

Greg Van Avermaet celebrates the first cycling gold medal of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Pic: Sirotti)

Great Britain’s Geraint Thomas was among the riders to crash on the Vista Chinesa descent in the men’s race, while Annemiek van Vleuten suffered a bad crash while leading the women’s race – the Dutch team later confirming three small fractures in her back and severe concussion, but no internal bleeding.

– Greg van Avermaet wins first cycling medal of Rio 2016 –

Lizzie Armitstead, after a turbulent week, finished fifth in the women’s road race, meanwhile, unable to add to her silver medal at London 2012.

– Anna van der Breggen wins women’s toad race at Rio 2016 –

Relive two enthralling races in the gallery below.

The route for the two road races blended challenging terrain and stunning backdrops to make for some spectacular viewing (pic: Sirotti)

Six riders got in the breakaway in the men's race, including Tour de France stage winner Jarlinson Pantano (Colombia) and former world champion Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland) (pic: Sirotti)

The breakaway descends along the Rio shoreline - high winds in the women's race the following day added another enthralling element to the race (pic: Sirotti)

Michal Kwiatkowski was last man standing in the breakaway in the men's race, before the peloton was blown apart on the Vista Chinesa circuit (pic: Sirotti)

Vincenzo Nibali attacked the lead group on the final climb of the Vista Chinesa, but crashed heavily on the descent to end his hopes of a medal (pic: Sirotti)

Instead it was Greg van Avermaet who celebrated gold, outsprinting Denmark's Jakob Fuglsang (pic: Sirotti)

Rafal Majka had led solo into the final few kilometres, but paid the price for his efforts as he cramped up in the final sprint. Nevertheless, the Pole was rewarded for his efforts with the bronze medal (pic: Sirotti)

Geraint Thomas was the best-placed Brit in the men's road race, finishing 11th after also crashing on the final descent (pic: Sirotti)

Chris Froome outsprinted Ireland's Birmingham-born Dan Martin to finish 12th, proving his form ahead of Wednesday's time trial (pic: Sirotti)

And Britain actually had three riders in the top 15, with Adam Yates coming in just behind the Froome group (pic: Sirotti)

Van Avermaet, Fuglsang and Majka celebrating on the podium (pic: Sirotti)

Van Avermaet poses with his gold medal. The BMC Racing man is only the second Belgian (after Andre Noyelle in 1952) to win Olympic gold (pic: Sirotti)

Emma Pooley, Nikki Harris and Lizzie Armitstead lined up for Great Britain in the women's road race. The Rio games are Pooley's third Olympics, Armitstead's second and Harris' first (pic: Sirotti)

The Netherlands boasted 2012 champion Marianne Vos and attracted plenty of attention pre-race. It was a day of mixed emotions for the Dutch - Annemiek van Vleuten crashing while leading the race and having to be taken to hospital, before Van der Breggen sprinted to gold (pic: Sirotti)

Anna van der Breggen outsprinted Emma Johansson to win the Rio 2016 women's road race (pic: Sirotti)

Van der Breggen celebrates her victory, having been narrowly beaten to world championship gold by Lizzie Armitstead last year (pic: Sirotti)

Mara Abbott reflects on what might have been, having led the way after the final descent before being caught and passed by the three medal winners (pic: Sirotti)

Lizzie Armitstead wins the sprint for fifth place, but she was unable to add to her silver medal from four years ago (pic: Sirotti)

Marianne Vos celebrates the news of team-mate Van der Breggen's win (pic: Sirotti)

Brazilian veteran Clemilda Fernandes finished the race in tears, cheered on by a vocal home crowd (pic: Sirotti)

The 37-year-old finished outside of the time limit, however, and was not placed (pic: Sirotti)

Van der Breggen sings the national anthem on the podium (pic: Sirotti)

Van der Breggen, Johansson and bronze medallist Elisa Longo Borghini celebrate on the podium (pic: Sirotti)

Anna van der Breggen is the fourth Dutch woman to win the Olympic road race (pic: Sirotti)

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