To the road race: Rio Olympics provisional start list

It’s not easy to find but CyclingNews.com has compiled a provisional list of starters for the first cycling event at the Rio Olympics (see below). In typical IOC style, there is a lot of options for navigation on the official site for the Rio Olympics but good luck if you’re trying to get useful information like who is actually starting the races.

A quick glance suggests that the teams with race favourites are Colombia, Great Britain, France, the Netherlands and Spain.

The maximum number of starters is five per nation and six countries have nominated a full contingent: Belgium, Colombia, Great Britain, Italy, Slovenia and Spain.

The defending champion, Alexandre Vinokourov retired from racing shortly after winning his gold medal in London but the silver medallist four years ago, Rigoberto Uran of Colombia is part of one of the most formidable quintets.

France has only nominated four starters but it includes two riders who were on the podium at the test event late last year, Alexis Vuillermoz (1st in 2015) and Romain Bardet (3rd).

The podium of last year’s Rio test event road race: Serge Pauwels (3rd), Alexis Vullermoz (1st) and Romain Bardet (2nd).
Photo: Graham Watson

Selection for the Games is a convoluted scheme that takes into account limitations put on the four cycling disciplines (road, track, MTB and BMX)… all the athletes involved are considered ‘cyclists’ and that allows them to swap between disciplines if the respective Olympic committees deem that necessary.

Cast your eye down the list of likely starters and it becomes apparent that the selection requirements means there are inclusions in this field that may otherwise not have been there.

The obvious anomalies are Scott Bowden for Australia and Maximilian Levy for Germany. The first makes a little bit of sense as the course in Rio for the road race is a hilly one and Bowden’s strengths could be useful in the early stanza of the road race, but the inclusion of Levy is a little absurd.

Levy is a sprinter on the track, a former keirin world champion. He weighs in at around 88kg and is likely to contest the team sprint in the track program in Rio. His place in the peloton reminds us that while the Olympics is considered a true festival of sport, it is also something that conjures some particularly curious selections when it comes to cycling.

Maximillian Levy on the podium to receive his gold medal from the keirin at the 2009 world championships.
Photo: Graham Watson

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