Agony for Josh Tarling as puncture costs Team GB rider medal by two seconds
As he made his way wearily through the mixed zone on the Pont Alexandre III, Josh Tarling could have been forgiven for wanting to be anywhere but Paris. The young Welshman’s dreams of Olympic glory had just been extinguished in the most agonising fashion imaginable, a front wheel puncture early in his 32.4km time trial forcing him to stop for a bike change.
Tarling - who only turned 20 a few months ago but who had been installed as the bookmakers’ favourite thanks to a meteoric rise over the last 18 months - battled valiantly to make up for lost time, turning an enormous gear as he powered through each time check. He eventually crossed the line fourth fastest, just two slower than Belgium’s bronze medallist Wout van Aert, 15 seconds slower than the silver medallist, Filippo Ganna of Italy, and only 27 seconds slower than the gold medal winner Remco Evenepoel, also of Belgium. Fourth in the Olympics. The worst place to finish.
Would he have won without the puncture? Impossible to say. It is difficult to quantify the time lost not only switching a bike, but also decelerating and accelerating. Not to mention the psychological damage.
Tarling admitted it had been “hard to get his rhythm back and settle down” after his enforced stop. He also made the point that his helmet visor fogged up during the incident, presumably because he was suddenly breathing into it while standing upright. “They were tough,” he conceded of the conditions. “I couldn’t see a lot with the visor after I stopped. It steamed up and it wouldn’t un-steam. So I had to get rid of that.”
But he was not reaching for excuses. Tarling called Evenepoel a “classy” rider and denied that he would have won gold. “I think everyone who got a medal deserved it,” he added. “If I wanted it to go my way I would have gone fast enough that I could puncture and still win. They all kept the pressure on. There was nothing I could do.”
He was being gracious, of course, which was to his credit. And it is true that Evenepoel, the reigning world champion, produced a sensational ride. The Belgian, who finished third overall at the recent Tour de France, might even have had more in the tank. Going out last, he would have known he had time in hand, meaning he might have taken the slippery corners even more gingerly than he needed to.
But others can make the case for Tarling. Ex-rider Robbie McEwen, commentating on Eurosport, reckoned the puncture might have cost him upwards of 30 seconds.
Ultimately, that is bike racing. Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you pick up a puncture a few kilometres into your maiden Olympics and lose the chance to become Team GB’s first gold medallist of the Games, and a household name.
“I hit some bumps, I felt the rim,” Tarling said of his blown tyre, adding he was proud of the way he fought back. “It’s easy to start flapping about and panicking. I think the car did a really good job of keeping me calm and I settled back into it.”
One thing is for sure, the Welshman is an extraordinary talent. Having cleaned up in the juniors, Tarling skipped the U23 ranks entirely and signed for Ineos Grenadiers aged just 18. From competing on restricted gears two years ago, Tarling won world time trial bronze as a teenager in Glasgow this time last year, again behind Evenepoel. But even he was unable to overcome this misfortune.
Tarling’s father, Michael, who has raised two serious racers in Josh and his younger brother Finlay, had managed to blag a last-minute ticket for this event after making a public appeal on X. His presence would have been needed last night to provide emotional support. Tarling may well have a role to play as GB try to set something up for Tom Pidcock.
“S--- happens,” Tarling reflected. “I’ll switch off tonight and switch back on as soon as we can for [next weekend’s] road race. Try to forget about today.”
Men’s and women’s time trials: As it happened
06:00 PM BST
Next up on two wheels: cross-country mountain biking.
After that breathless, nerve-jangling afternoon, that it’s for our coverage of the women’s and men’s Olympic individual time trials.
Rotten luck for Josh Tarling, but I’m sure he’ll be back with a vengeance at the top of the world scene in the next years. This result will be fuel for the fire.
Cycling fans won’t have to wait long for the next action. The women’s mountain bike cross-country race takes place Sunday afternoon (July 28), with Evie Richards racing for a medal for Team GB. On July 29, Tom Pidcock bids to defend the title he won at Tokyo 2020. There’s no road race action until next weekend.
You can see the full timetable of events here. Thanks for reading.
05:50 PM BST
Helmet visor fogging up also hampered Tarling
One interesting point Tarling made was that his helmet visor fogged up when he stopped and he was struggling to see anything after that. Robbie McEwen said in commentary that the puncture might have cost the Briton 30sec.
I put that to Tarling and he denied the puncture cost him gold, saying Remco Evenepoel deserved it. But I think it would certainly have been silver for Tarling today, if not gold.
05:49 PM BST
Anna Henderson has just been on the podium, receiving her silver medal
Team GB had silverware in the time trial, but not from the expected candidate, Josh Tarling. Anna Henderson pulled out all the stops for a career-best showing. Read and recap on that achievement here.
05:42 PM BST
Ganna: “Second place is not bad news”
Finishing 14 seconds down on Evenepoel, a flying final 10km secured a silver medal for Filippo Ganna of Italy. Speaking to Eurosport, he said:
It’s better than the last Games [and fifth place]. I’m really happy. Everyone knows I don’t super enjoy the rain or not good weather. I tried to follow the pacing and my dream.
I want to say a big thank you to the staff because they follow me from the start of the season for this result and my coach Dario. He’s the first to believe and trust in me.
A few seconds [behind] is a little bit of pain., but we try tonight to celebrate. I don’t think second place is bad news.
We did the recon on July 24 with super good weather, dry, today is the opposite conditions. Maybe this morning if it was possible to do a fast recon in the wet, it would be better for us riders but in the end, everyone did the same ride. In the end, I’m happy. But 14 seconds...
05:29 PM BST
Evenepoel on top of the world
With Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar opting out of the race, Remco Evenepoel took full advantage on the wet Parisian roads and showed the form that took him to third behind the Slovenian a week ago.
He could have been tired from the sport’s biggest race or slightly dipping in his condition. Not at all: it was full commitment, concentration and power for the 24-year-old, who races the rest of the season for Soudal Quick-Step.
“Everyone is always doubting me. I think from today on that should be finished,” he said after his podium finish at the Tour.
Evenepoel is already a superstar in cycling-mad Belgium, but his status will grow even bigger with this triumph. They might run out of beer back there, with two men on the podium: Wout van Aert took bronze.
05:22 PM BST
Tarling hurting after medal near miss
So cruel on Tarling. Difficult to say where he might have finished without the puncture. It’s not just the bike switch, it’s the momentum lost, the deceleration and acceleration, the psychological impact.
Ultimately that’s bike racing. He’s making his way through the mixed zone looking very forlorn.
05:15 PM BST
Here’s the top 10 results from the men’s time trial
1. Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) 36:12
2. Filippo Ganna (Italy) at 15 seconds
3. Wout van Aert (Belgium) at 25 seconds
4. Josh Tarling (Great Britain) at 27 seconds
5. Brandon McNulty (USA) at 1:04
6. Stefan Bissegger (Switzerland) at 1:26
7. Nelson Oliveira (Portugal) at 1:31
8. Stefan Kueng (Switzerland) at 1:35
9. Maximilian Schachmann (Germany) at 1:38
10. Mikkel Bjerg (Denmark) at 1:43
05:09 PM BST
An ashen-faced Josh Tarling reacts to fourth
Rain jacket pulled up to his mouth, Tarling had the good grace to stop for the BBC cameras to reflect on the mechanical misfortune which probably robbed him of an Olympic medal.
“I had a front puncture, it was on the rim. I knew I had to change before that corner, I had no choice really and then try my best. A lot of swearing [was going through my mind]. There’s not a lot I can do, it’s a bit of bad luck so we move on to the road race ... I’m going to keep trying my best then we’ll see.”
05:01 PM BST
Remco Evenepoel wins gold!
24-year-old Remco Evenepoel is Olympic champion. He punches the air and screams as he crosses the finish line in 36:12. Looks like he held something back for the final section too, finishing 14 seconds up on Filippo Ganna (Italy) and 25 seconds on Wout van Aert (Belgium).
It’s unlucky Josh Tarling in fourth for Team GB, 27 seconds behind. He might have some sleepless nights, wondering about that bike change, but there will be plenty of other opportunities in the future for the youngster.
04:58 PM BST
Ganna goes fastest
What a final 10km from Filippo Ganna. He saved the best until last, going 10 seconds quicker than Wout van Aert. 36:27 for the muscular Italian.
Unfortunately, it’s going to be fourth place for Josh Tarling.
04:55 PM BST
Tarling finishes two seconds down on Wout van Aert
The 20-year-old gives it everything through the pouring rain to the finish line, but his sprint from the last corner isn’t enough to unseat Wout van Aert, who was two seconds faster. 36:39 for the Briton, who recovered admirably from his mechanical problem in the race’s first third.
It’ll likely be between him and trade team-mate Ganna for the bronze medal. Remco Evenepoel is on course to leapfrog his compatriot Wout van Aert and take Olympic gold, but there’s no guarantees given the wet roads.
04:51 PM BST
Tarling still six seconds down on Wout van Aert
Josh Tarling will no doubt rue that early puncture and bike change. That looks likely to be the slice of bad luck that stops him from taking gold at the Paris Olympics.
He’s still six seconds down on Van Aert as he heads into the closing two kilometres, pushing a huge gear at nearly 60km/h.
04:50 PM BST
Ganna nearly crashes
That was dicey. Filippo Ganna had a real moment, coming so close to crashing against the barriers. He’s pushing hard, but might have lost a few seconds there.
It’s tight for the podium, and he appears to know it.
04:48 PM BST
Evenepoel quickest at second time check
The live time checks were right: Evenepoel is the best out there, eleven seconds faster than Wout van Aert through the second time check. His face is a picture of focus as he stares through the rain into the next corner.
He’s 11 seconds up on Van Aert, 16 on Ganna, 17 on Tarling.
04:46 PM BST
Ganna goes a couple of seconds faster than Tarling
Oof, it’s close between the favourites. Ganna is four seconds down on Van Aert at that time check, a couple of seconds up on Tarling.
But now we wait for Remco Evenepoel. Has the Belgian world champion stretched his early advantage?
04:45 PM BST
Wout van Aert (Belgium) goes fastest at the finish
Wow, that’s some performance from Van Aert. He goes a minute quicker than incumbent leader Stefan Bissegger (Switzerland) across the line, with a mark of 36:37. The front disc wheel risk paid off.
However, Josh Tarling is still close to him, just six seconds behind at the 22km intermediate split. It’s going to be nip-tuck for a medal between them. The young Welsh wonder is right in the hunt here.
04:42 PM BST
Henderson’s classy ride
Here’s how former skier Anna Henderson mastered the tricky conditions to take a surprise silver medal in the women’s individual time trial a couple of hours ago, finishing behind Australian Grace Brown.
That experience on the slopes might have come in handy, given the treacherous nature of the rain-slicked Parisian roads.
04:38 PM BST
Evenepoel goes fastest
It’s very close at the first time check. The last man, world champion Remco Evenepoel (Belgium), goes fastest with 14:28, seven seconds in front of Ganna. Josh Tarling has the sixth best time, only 13 seconds down.
It’s all to play for still. Given how much time he lost for that flat tyre, one might argue that the precocious Briton was going just as fast as those two heavyweights.
04:34 PM BST
Mathias Vacek (Czech Republic) fastest at finish
Czech youngster Mathias Vacek has the best time at the finish so far. His standard of 37:55 won’t be there for long though, with 20 more riders set to finish.
04:33 PM BST
Tarling only 3.67 seconds down on Van Aert at the first time check
Even with the time lost, Josh Tarling is within a handful of seconds of the best time at the 13.1km intermediate split. That will hearten him and he has 20 more kilometres to salvage his Olympic time trial and finish on the podium.
04:31 PM BST
Chloe Dygert had to settle for bronze in the women’s race
Chloe Dygert had to pause before speaking to media following her bronze medal ride as her right leg was spasming. The American said she liked these conditions and had no excuses. She was aware she was five seconds down on Brown at 1st time check. Maybe pushed too hard #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/k9Hyh2eBJi
— Tom Cary (@tomcary_tel) July 27, 2024
04:30 PM BST
Wout van Aert (Belgium) fastest at first time check
Wout van Aert’s gamble on double disc wheels seems to be paying off. He is quickest through the first time check, clock 14:38. Josh Tarling is about to pass through there, followed by favourites like Evenepoel and Ganna. We’ll see how much that bike change has hampered his challenge.
04:27 PM BST
Puncture and bike change for Tarling
Oh no! Tarling has to coast to a stop and change his bike after a front-wheel puncture. The Team GB athlete calmly leant his Pinarello bike against the barrier, but the adrenaline must be coursing through his veins after that misfortune. Even with a seamless bike change, he’s lost 15-20 seconds there, by my reckoning. He’s got to forget about it and get back into the zone.
The camera pans to Magnus Sheffield (USA), whose right short leg is torn above his knee, reddened with blood. He’s had a crash after his promising start.
04:25 PM BST
Final starters Ganna and Evenepoel are off
Every competitor is on the 32.4km course, as Filippo Ganna (Italy) and final starter Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) hit the road.
Ganna is a class act against the clock, a two-time world champion. He will take some beating on a course that seems tailor-made for him.
04:23 PM BST
Josh Tarling already 18 seconds up on provisional leader Bettiol
The live time checks suggest tank-like Tarling has a sizeable margin already on Alberto Bettiol, the leader in the clubhouse. He’s only 5km into his effort, putting down the power but keeping it upright.
It’s a nerve-tester every time a rider banks it over a little into a corner.
04:20 PM BST
Magnus Sheffield (USA) goes fastest through the first time check
Sheffield is fluid and powerful on this city course, he’s just bettered previous leader Mathias Vacek (Czech Republic) at the first time check by 17 seconds.
The youngster is flying, but the big beasts of the pro cycling bunch are starting their rides now. Stefan Kueng of Switzerland is on the road. So often a bridesmaid and fourth-place finisher, even a medal would be a result for the veteran.
04:17 PM BST
Here goes Josh Tarling...
Tarling gets down the start ramp and takes the first turn on Pont Alexandre III cautiously.
He represents Team GB’s first realistic gold medal hope. He has been raised racing time trials around the country and focused all-out for this race, training at altitude in his adopted home of Andorra. Few know his name outside of cycling circles, but that could change over the next hour.
04:12 PM BST
Girmay waiting for next weekend
Biniam Girmay (Eritrea) goes through the 13.1km first time check, doing no great shakes, already over a minute down. The recent green jersey winner, along with three stages, at the Tour de France will be much more lively next Saturday in the men’s road race.
The camera shows the spray coming up off racers’ wheels. There were crashes galore in the women’s individual time trial, and there’ll be a fair few in the men’s race too, no doubt.
04:06 PM BST
Magnus Sheffield (USA) and Wout van Aert (Belgium) get underway
Tarling’s trade team-mate shoots down the start ramp and underway. Sheffield is a dark horse for a medal too, as is compatriot Brandon McNulty. Wout van Aert is off minutes later and he’s rocking double disc wheels. Aerodynamic, but slightly harder to control, even if there’s little wind today.
The Belgian is pro cycling’s most versatile rider, able on mountain climbs, sprints, time-trials and cobbled races. But he has struggled to show his finest form since fracturing a collarbone and several ribs in March.
04:04 PM BST
Who is Josh Tarling?
Josh Tarling has enjoyed a meteoric rise in his 19 months as a pro cyclist, and it could go even higher in the next hour. There’s been little respecting hierarchies or doing bottle duty for leaders for the 6’4” Welshman since turning pro with Ineos Grenadiers: if you’re fast enough, you’re old enough.
The man from Aberaeron on the Ceredigion coast has been European time trial champion and was third against the clock in the World Championships last year.
Read more about Tarling’s fledgling career and background in his interview with Tom Cary.
03:59 PM BST
Umbrellas still up, rain still coming down
Anna Henderson was saying she’d done so much heat acclimatisation for the Olympics. All that prep for a sweltering day, and Paris hands us the time-trial racers a sodden summer’s day...
Italy’s Alberto Bettiol has the earliest best time through the 13.1km point, but there have only been a handful of competitors through there. He very nearly came a cropper going over a painted white line on the road too.
03:55 PM BST
The men’s contenders to watch
Team GB 20-year-old Josh Tarling is a pre-race favourite with some bookmakers.
Here are the other challengers to look out for in the 34-rider field, all starting within the next 30 minutes at 90-second intervals:
Søren Wærenskjold (Norway) 15:57:30
Stefan Bissegger (Switzerland) 16:02:00
Wout van Aert (Belgium) 16:06:30
Josh Tarling (Great Britain) 16:15:30
Stefan Küng (Switzerland) 16:17:00
Filippo Ganna (Italy) 16:20:00
Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) 16:21:30
03:35 PM BST
First men’s competitor sets off
Phew, that was a stressful watch. Caution and control are also the bywords for the men’s individual time trial, and the first rider has just rolled off the start ramp. Amir Ansari (Olympic Refugee Team) gets his effort underway.
They will take on the same 32.4km route, from Pont Alexandre III into the Bois de Vincennes and back.
Pre-race favourite Josh Tarling (Team GB) sets off at 16:15 BST. I’ll be back after a late lunch break...
03:32 PM BST
Anna Henderson overjoyed to take silver
Speaking to Eurosport post-race while holding a snazzy red umbrella, silver medallist Anna Henderson is beaming:
“I can’t believe it. I had a small feeling I might be able to reach the podium today, squeeze out some of the other riders, but I can’t believe I’ve come second behind someone like Grace. It’s unbelievable.
I burst into tears when I found out I was second. I can’t stop smiling, I’m over the moon.
I just focused on power in the straights and caution in the corners ... I thought I could lose a whole Olympic Games there. I saw a lot of girls have problems today, so really happy I could hold it upright.”
03:28 PM BST
A word on Grace Brown
Full credit to gold medallist Grace Brown. The 32-year-old was a latecomer to pro cycling, but my how she has made up for lost time. Second twice in the World Championships time trial, this was her final chance for glory on the sport’s biggest stage, as she is set to retire at the end of the season, missing her life in Australia, her husband and family.
“Let’s see if I can sign off in style,” she said in a video announcing her forthcoming retirement. Mission accomplished.
She has won the women’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège and De Brabantse Pijl, but this was a cut above. She was peerless on a wet afternoon in Paris.
A 91-second winning margin in a time trial is a chasm, given how closely-matched the world’s best competitors are.
03:21 PM BST
Henderson had two broken collarbones this year
The Briton was due some good luck - she broke her collarbone in February, then shattered it again at her third race back in April. That’s why the national time trial champion has raced sparingly in 2024.
It took a lot of nerve, technical skill and control to avoid being one of the day’s many crash victims on Paris roads that were more like an ice rink.
03:16 PM BST
Henderson’s sublime race
What a ride from Anna Henderson to take silver. Yes, Chloe Dygert went down. And yes the American has hardly ridden this year. But don’t underestimate that ride from Henderson - her pace may have forced Dygert to take risks.
It was a nail-biting wait as Dygert rounded the last corner with the clock ticking down. Dame Kelly Holmes, sitting about 10 seats away from me under a black umbrella, was up on her feet, reliving her Athens 2004 experience.
Grace Brown obviously a massively deserving winner, with a 1min31sec advantage by the finish. I’m off to try to nab some mixed zone quotes with Henderson.
03:14 PM BST
“Phenomenal, career-best” showing for Henderson
Eurosport pundit Jo Rowsell sums up the quality of Henderson’s ride:
That was simply phenomenal. That is a career best result for her, out of everything she’s won previously, this is by far the best.
I’m just so proud of her, I went and spoke to her a couple of days ago for an interview. She seemed ever so calm, saying how excited she was and talking through the recon of the course. She seemed ever so mature, coming into her first Olympic Games.
03:09 PM BST
Here’s the top 10 from the Olympic women’s individual time trial
1. Grace Brown (Australia) 39:38.24
2. Anna Henderson (Great Britain) +1:31.59
3. Chloe Dygert (USA) +1.32.46
4. Juliette Labous (France) +1:41.66
5. Demi Vollering (Netherlands) +1:51.56
6. Lotte Kopecky (Belgium) +1:56.58
7. Kim Cadzow (New Zealand) +2:07.78
8. Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy) +2:11.08
9. Audrey Cordon Ragot (France) +2:13.43
10. Christina Schweinberger (Austria) +2:13.78
03:05 PM BST
Silver medal for Anna Henderson
Chloe Dygert pushes all the way to the line, but she’s a second slower than Anna Henderson. Bronze for the American.
That’s a sublime silver medal for the 25-year-old Briton. A national champion in the slalom as a teenager before switching to cycling, she might have expected her medals to come at the Winter Olympics. She has exceeded expectations with that ride, but there was no beating Grace Brown today.
03:02 PM BST
Amazing Grace: Australia’s Brown set to take gold
Grace Brown has gone faster and faster over the day. She is surely going to take the gold medal in Paris. After two World Championship second places and many near misses, this is just desserts for the Australian, a class above the rest.
She smashes Anna Henderson’s mark by 1:31, clocking 39:38 at the finish. On a dog day on dodgy roads, that’s a rapid average speed of 49km/h.
What a ride! ⚡
Defying the tricky wet conditions, Australia's Grace Brown flies round the time trial course to win by over a minute 🤯#Olympics #PARIS2024 pic.twitter.com/lVITy8GLXL— Eurosport (@eurosport) July 27, 2024
03:00 PM BST
Henderson goes fastest at the finish
Team GB’s Anna Henderson safely negotiates the final turn and accelerates for the line. She is fastest at the finish, with a time of 41:09. She smiles through the pain after she crosses the line. That’s a fine performance from the 25-year-old.
Grace Brown of Australia seems to be on another level, but surely a medal will be Henderons’s. The question is: will it be silver or bronze?
02:58 PM BST
French rider Juliette Labous goes fastest
As you can imagine, the home fans loved that. Juliette Labous (France) betters Kopecky’s time, going fastest at the finish, with 41:19. But Brown, Dygert and Henderson were all faster at the previous time checks.
Frustratingly, few camera shots of GB’s Anna Henderson. But after her crash, Dygert was taking a few corners more gingerly. That could be the difference between silver and bronze for the former skier from Hemel Hempstead.
02:55 PM BST
It’s not just the riders risking everything in the rain...
Have decided to risk it. I’m sitting in the press tribune by the finish line, opposite the ‘hotseat’ (actually three seats, one for each of the medal positions), with the rain falling steadily.
I’m protecting my laptop with a handy waterproof cover. But it’s pretty grim. As I type that, Lotte Kopecky goes down. This is brutal.
02:52 PM BST
Lotte Kopecky quickest at the finish
Despite an early tumble, Lotte Kopecky of Belgium sends Kim Cadzow (New Zealand) out of the hot seat, setting a new fastest time at the finish. 41:34:82 is her mark.
However, there’s half a dozen faster riders yet to finish. There’ll surely be no silverware for the world champion, but the fast finisher is a favourite for the women’s road race next weekend.
02:50 PM BST
Crash for Dygert
Pre-face favourite Chloe Dygert crashes on her left side, while cornering on slick cobblestones. She was a few seconds down on Grace Brown and pushed it a little bit too far.
She goes through the second split 51 seconds down on Brown. Neck-and-neck with Team GB’s Anna Henderson. How will that affect her confidence?
02:49 PM BST
Grace Brown smashes Henderson’s mark and goes fastest
Grace Brown is on course for an Olympic gold medal. So often second or third, the Commonwealth time trial champion is 51 seconds quicker than Anna Henderson at that second time check.
02:46 PM BST
But Henderson is even faster...
Team GB’s Anna Henderson is currently on track for the bronze medal, if she can keep this power down and stay sunny side up..
She sets the fastest time at the second intermediate time split, 10.4km from the finish, with a time of 27:59, 11 seconds up on Labous. This is some performance.
02:43 PM BST
French fancy Labous on track to go fastest
Home hero Juliette Labous is getting lots of cheers and she goes fastest at the second time check, clocking 28:11, 20 seconds faster than Elisa Longo Borghini. But further down the road, this is still in the balance between last starters Brown and Dygert for the gold medal.
This afternoon is proving to be as much a test of nerve and bike handling as a pure dust-up between the most powerful riders.
02:40 PM BST
Brown goes fastest, bettering Henderson’s first split time
Grace Brown of Australia goes fastest at the first time check, 13.1km in on this 32.4km course, with a time of 16:02. She is five seconds up on rival Chloe Dygert, pushing Team GB’s Anna Henderson down to third fastest.
02:36 PM BST
Henderson fastest through first time check
Anna Henderson of Team GB is on a flying ride. She just went through the first time check at 13.1km fastest, clocking 16:23. Nobody else is within ten seconds of her, and that includes stars like Elisa Longo Borghini, Demi Vollering and Lotte Kopecky. This could be medal-worthy.
Let’s see how Dygert and Brown fare at that check in a few minutes time.
02:34 PM BST
Cadzow goes fastest
You can tell who has kept it upright and who hasn’t: riders are crossing the finish line at Pont Alexandre III with bloodied knees and scuffed skinsuits.
Gritting her teeth as she gives it everything over the line, Kim Cadzow of New Zealand goes top of the leaderboard, with a time of 41:46. That’s a decent marker.
02:31 PM BST
Crash for Kopecky as Bujak goes fastest
We’re still in the earlier finishers, but Eugenia Bujak (Slovenia) has gone fastest at the finish, with a time of 42:54:96. That mark will be bettered by a host of riders.
Reigning road race world champion Lotte Kopecky slips coming through a turn, her back wheel sliding out, and she hits the deck. The Belgian had gone through the first intermediate split with the fastest time. It’s so slippery out there.
The wet roads are really playing havoc with this race so far. Even the US team mechanic struggling to stay upright. Just shows how slippy those roads are.
— Orla Chennaoui (@SportsOrla) July 27, 2024
02:28 PM BST
Brown and Dygert underway
Grace Brown has a little slip off the start ramp, which will do nothing for those pre-race nerves. The Australian FDJ-Suez rider is retiring at the end of 2024. Twice second place in the World Championship time trial, this is her last chance to take an Olympic medal.
Chloe Dygert is last woman off, 90 seconds later. A ferocious competitor who has overcome a catalogue of career-threatening injury problems, she finished just six seconds ahead of Brown to take the world title last year in Stirling. Can the American favourite deliver a controlled performance of speed and safety on the biggest stage?
02:22 PM BST
We’re down to the favourites
Two to go now, just favourites Grace Brown (Australia) and Chloe Dygert (USA), as Christina Schweinberger of Austria heads out from Les Invalides.
This is not the beau Paris that many of the racers will have hoped. It’s not raining at the moment, but the roads are waterlogged. How much they push the limits on corners and slick roads could decide gold, silver and bronze.
Meanwhile, the first starters are crossing the finish line. Despite a crash, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Denmark) sets the fastest time with 44:10:93.
02:15 PM BST
Team GB medal hopeful Anna Henderson starts
25-year-old Anna Henderson starts her effort. She plies her trade for world-leading team Visma-Lease a Bike, counting women’s cycling GOAT Marianne Vos as a team-mate. Fourth in last year’s World Championships time trial, if she can stay upright, she’s got a shot at a medal.
Here’s what she told Eurosport pre-race about the time trial:
It’s a really fast course. Time-wise, it’ll be a little bit shorter than maybe we expected, but it’ll still be super hard and a really tough challenge. On the profile overall, it looks really flat but then there are some uphills and downhills you have to pay attention to to keep your speed … it’s been one of my biggest goals, I’m really looking forward to it.
02:11 PM BST
Van Dijk’s valiant fight to be at the Olympics
Ellen van Dijk has just set off.
Good detail here from the Dutch veteran’s partner on her recovery from a broken ankle, foot and finger suffered in a training crash a couple of months ago.
Van Dijk needed 24 stitches and had a herniated muscle. The 37 year-old also gave birth last year so she’s had her hands full in the build-up to these Games.
Ellen had niet alleen haar enkel gebroken, maar ook haar rechtervoet, haar vinger, ze had een spierhernia in haar bovenbeen en diepe snijwonden in haar benen die met 24 hechtingen aan elkaar moesten worden gezet.
Een paar (hoogte)punten uit haar herstel: pic.twitter.com/qZHh3SwlNm— Benjamin de Bruijn (@BenjaminBruijn) July 27, 2024
02:09 PM BST
A third crash for Taylor Knibb as favourites start thick and fast
The luckless Taylor Knibb appears to have a puncture, and even the mechanic racing to give her a spare bike slips and falls on the wet road. It’s like an ice rink out there. It’s gone from a dream first 15 minutes to a nightmare.
Meanwhile, we are down to the last ten contenders, with several favourites to come, including pre-race favourites Grace Brown (Australia) and Chloe Dygert (USA).
Team GB’s medal hopeful Anna Henderson gets underway at 14:16 (BST).
02:03 PM BST
Taylor Knibb crashes twice in two minutes
It is so dangerous out there. Taylor Knibb (USA) had been fastest at the 13.1km intermediate split point, 30 seconds ahead of any rival, but she crashed at the exact, same greasy turn as Uttrup Ludwig.
Ninety seconds later, she hit the deck again, slipping on a white line.
Evidently, after a few falls, a safer, fluid performance not risking everything in these conditions is paramount for any wannabe medallist.
02:01 PM BST
Dutch contender Ellen Van Dijk underway
Ellen van Dijk of the Netherlands rolls down the start ramp.
She’s a doyenne of the women’s time trial scene, a four-time European champion and three-time world champion. For over a decade, the rangy Dutchwoman has been a contender and reference point against the clock.
However, the 37-year-old has had her own race against time just to make it to the Olympic Games. She fractured her ankle in early June; just being on the start line is a victory in itself. She is a contender, but her difficult preparation for the race may mean she cannot give her very best.
Today is the day!
I prepared for so long to be ready for this day and just 7 weeks ago I thought it was all over. But with incredible support I managed to get to the start line. Let's see what happens from here.
I am going to give it everything I have!#Paris2024— Ellen van Dijk (@ellenvdijk) July 27, 2024
01:59 PM BST
Uttrup Ludwig crashes
Ouch.
One of the most charismatic and talented racers out there, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Denmark) had been the early leader through the first time check, but she crashed hard on her left side on a slippery road. She’s up quickly and back on the bike, but that will damage both her confidence and her result.
01:54 PM BST
Risk versus reward in the rain
With plenty of slippery white lines in the opening and closing 5 kilometres, it’s all about risk versus reward. Taylor Knibb had a heart-in-mouth moment as she went over a speed bump at 45km/h, and her back wheel fish-tailed left and right. She kept the bike upright well there.
Racers want to go as fast as possible, but one crash and that’s likely an Olympic medal up in smoke. As you can see, it’s a bit gloomy out there.
01:46 PM BST
Taylor Knibb gets underway
26-year-old Taylor Knibb rolls off the wet start ramp gingerly. Having won the US national championships in May, she earned a slot in the time-trial.
It’s remarkable because she is doing two sports in Paris: Knibb is far better known as a world-beating triathlete and was an Tokyo 2021 Olympic silver medallist in the mixed relay. It’ll be intriguing to see how she goes against the clock in Paris.
01:39 PM BST
The women’s time trial contenders to watch
Thirty-five women take the start, each at 90-second intervals. Urska Pintar of Slovenia got the race rolling a couple of minutes ago, rolling out onto rain-slicked roads past flag-waving, umbrella-toting fans.
Here’s a rundown of the stars and contenders to look out for. There are intermediate time splits at the Chateau de Vincennes after 13.1km and 22km. As they say, the clock doesn’t lie: those times will give a clear indication of which riders are on song.
Dygert is the last woman off and the marginal pre-race favourite. (all times BST)
Taylor Knibb (USA) 13:40:30
Ellen van Dijk (Netherlands) 14:00:00
Lotte Kopecky (Belgium) 14:09:00
Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy) 14:10:30
Demi Vollering (Netherlands) 14:15:00
Anna Henderson (Great Britain) 14:16:30
Grace Brown (Australia) 14:19:30
Chloe Dygert (USA) 14:21:00
01:31 PM BST
Rain making Paris route treacherous
Anna Henderson is first up for Team GB in the women’s time trial, which gets under way at 13:30 UK time. She’s seen as an outside bet for a medal. A two-time British champion, Henderson took silver at last year’s European Championships and placed fourth at the World Championships in Glasgow a little under 12 months ago, missing out on a medal by just two seconds.
The 25 year-old, who used to be a ski racer growing up, is off at 14:16:30, fourth from last. Hopefully the weather will have cleared up by then because it looks treacherous out there.
The big question for me is where to watch from. There is a nice-looking press tribune by the finish line, right next to the mixed zone. But it’s uncovered and it’s still tipping it down. I’m not sure how long my laptop would survive.
01:25 PM BST
Rowsell: Team GB cyclists will improve on Tokyo medal haul
Jo Rowsell has been there, done that, got the gold medal - two, in fact, in the team pursuit at London 2012 and Rio 2016. Sitting on the Eurosport sofa, the pundit is tipping the Team GB cyclists for an even better performance than Tokyo 2020, where six golds, four silvers and two bronze medals went the squad’s way.
“I think they’re going to do better than Tokyo. I think they’re in brilliant shape ... this Games, the track riders are up another level, and the road and time trial riders as well too. I think we’re going to see medals across the board and top it again.”
01:20 PM BST
It’s a dazzling venue - once you find your way in
Just arrived at the Grand Palais ahead of today’s time trials. Not easy finding your way in. It’s an absolute rabbit warren. Paris 2024 has no shortage of volunteers, all equipped with pink foam hands to point you in the right direction, only they don’t know which way to point.
I arrived at the same time as former French pro/Groupama-FDJ manager Marc Madiot. Famous for his fiery temper, I thought he might start screaming at one group of hapless helpers in the same way he does to his riders when they have missed the break at the Tour de France.
On the plus side, the fencing also takes place in the Grand Palais, a few yards from where I’m sitting, and it’s an absolutely stunning venue.
01:17 PM BST
Potholes and bad roads on the route have come in for scrutiny
The road conditions in the opening and closing 5 kilometres, which take the same route, have not been to the liking of several contenders, who experienced them in warm-up. There are a fair few potholes, lumps and bumps and even old cobblestones showing through the modern tarmac.
Belgian contender Remco Evenepoel called the roads “bad” and “a bit s***”. His compatriot Lotte Kopecky said: “There are a lot of holes, which makes it difficult to find a good line.”
With heavy rain overnight and continuing through the morning, let’s hope there are no crashes or accidents for athletes, some of whom have been focusing on this race for a whole year.
Still, tourists and tele-spectators will not be complaining about a course that heads east past the Notre-Dame, the Place de la Bastille and the Chateau de Vincennes, then back to the heart of Paris.
01:01 PM BST
Tarling gives Team GB a first realistic opportunity for gold in the time trial
Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of the women’s and men’s road racing individual time trial.
Here we go then: after all the anticipation and opening ceremony razzmataz, this is Team GB’s first decent chance at a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
20-year-old Josh Tarling is a favourite with some bookmakers. A gold medal would continue the Welshman’s astonishing, rapid rise: two years ago, he was a prodigious junior racer competing on restricted gears before eschewing the under-23 ranks and going straight to Ineos Grenadiers and the big time.
He didn’t need much time to settle in: Tarling is the reigning European champion and finished bronze in last year’s World Championships while still a teenager. The flat 32.4km course, starting and finishing by Pont Alexandre III in the French capital, will suit the tall, powerful racer. He rolls down the ramp fifth from last at 16:15:30 (BST).
However, it will be a tough task to beat fellow favourite Filippo Ganna (Italy), a two-time world champion and rider in the same powerhouse mould as him. Personally, I would put established time trial titan Ganna as the man to beat by a nose.
Then there is reigning world time trial champion Remco Evenepoel (Belgium), “fresh” from finishing third in his maiden Tour de France. The 24-year-old won the stage 7 time-trial there, but it’s hard to say whether he’ll keep his form, motivation and fitness for this test or be a little run down from that three-week sufferfest.
First up this afternoon, there is the women’s time trial, with world champion Chloé Dygert (USA), Ellen van Dijk (The Netherlands) and Grace Brown (Australia) likely to be vying for top spot. For the first time, the men and women share the same Olympic course.
Anna Henderson flies the flag for Team GB: she is off fourth from last at 14:16:30 (BST), and the former skier from Hemel Hempstead has a shot at a medal if one of the favourites under-performs.
The first racer, Slovenia’s Urška Pintar, gets underway at 13:30 (BST).