Notebook: Leader crashes out of road race
Dutch cyclist Annemiek van Vleuten crashed spectacularly near the end of the women’s road race at the Olympics on Sunday.
Van Vleuten was leading the race by 40 seconds about 18 kilometres from the finish and was heading downhill when she failed to negotiate a turn, hit the curb and tumbled over her handlebars, landing on her head.
The international cycling federation, known by its French acronym, UCI, said via email: “Ms. van Vleuten is conscious, able to communicate. Further medical checks currently being made at the hospital.”
The descent to the Copacabana was considered tricky and treacherous by commentators. Several men crashed on it in their race Saturday.
Former cycling gold medallist Chris Boardman told the BBC: “I’m actually quite angry because I looked at the road furniture and thought nobody can crash here and get up. This was way past technical; this was dangerous.”
Van Vleuten, a 33-year-old veteran, has a long history of solid performances but no major victories.
The race was won by Van Vleuten’s Dutch teammate, Anna van der Breggen. American Mara Abbott led until the last few hundred metres and finished fourth.
“I was pretty shocked; I think she crashed hard,” The Guardian quoted van der Breggen as saying. “I realized I was at the front of the team, so I had to chase. I did it for Annemiek. To see her like that, it’s a big shock.”
SERENA ADVANCES: Serena Williams opened the defence of her Olympic singles gold medal with a patchy-at-times 6-4, 6-2 victory over Australia’s Daria Gavrilova on Sunday, gesturing or yelling at herself as she often does when not all goes her way.
“I’m always frustrated on the court if it’s not perfect,” the American said.
Williams had not competed since collecting her Open-era record-tying 22nd Grand Slam title at Wimbledon. She’s now won 19 of her past 20 matches.
GYM DANDY: Injured French gymnast Samir Ait Said is back on his feet. Sort of.
A day after gruesomely breaking his leg while vaulting during men’s Olympic preliminaries, Said posted a Facebook video from his hospital bed thanking people for the outpouring of support and pledging to return to the sport eventually.
Said underwent surgery on Saturday night to repair the tibia he fractured while trying to land on vault. The image of his leg bent grotesquely at a nearly 90 degree angle went viral immediately. Said praised his French teammates.
“I’m behind all my pals,” Said said. “They managed to keep their act together after my fall. That must have been really difficult. They were real warriors. So come on boys, be strong, I’m with you.”
HISTORIC GOLD: Majlinda Kelmendi won Kosovo’s first Olympic medal on Sunday, taking gold in the women’s 52-kilogram judo division.
The top-ranked Kelmendi, the young country’s best-known athlete, was the favourite heading into the competition.
She scored only once against Odette Giuffrida in the final, but it was enough to beat the Italian.
After her victory was announced, Kelmendi hugged Giuffrida and then walked off the mat in tears. Wearing a blue uniform — one that matched some of the Kosovo flags being waved in the arena — a teary Kelmendi waved to the crowd and raised her arms.