|
 |   |
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
Pedal to the medal Armstrong settles for bronze in time trialLatest: Thursday October 12, 2000 03:07 PM
SYDNEY, Australia (CNNSI.com) -- Two days before he marks the fourth anniversary of his cancer diagnosis with his customary party, American Lance Armstrong finished third in the 29-mile Olympic time trial Saturday. The two-time Tour de France champion lost to Viacheslav Ekimov of Russia. Ekimov, who races with Armstrong on the U.S. Postal Service trade team, won the gold medal with a time of 57 minutes, 40 seconds. Jan Ullrich of Germany, who won the road race Wednesday, took the silver, seven seconds behind Ekimov. Armstrong, wearing a teardrop-shaped helmet to reduce wind resistance, was 33 seconds behind Ekimov. "I came to win the gold medal, but I did everything I could," Armstrong said. "I went as hard as I could. My heart rate was pegged the whole time. I could not have gone any harder." While Armstrong won't get the gold he wanted, at least he has a medal. After the road race, he was 0-for-4 in Olympic events dating back to the 1992 Barcelona Games. In Atlanta, Armstrong was suffering from testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs and brain by the time it was detected on Oct. 2, 1996. He went through chemotherapy and surgery before resuming his racing career in 1998. As he does each year, Armstrong will celebrate his diagnosis. "Every year we have a party or have some special time with friends and family," Armstrong said. "They've occurred all over the world, sometimes in Austin, sometimes in France. This year, it will be in Sydney. "I'm glad the race is over and I can enjoy myself," he said. "I had hoped to make it a double celebration but I can't complain." Armstrong targeted the time trial as his event for Sydney, a decision that took on greater importance when he broke a neck vertebra after colliding with a car while training in rural France one month ago.
After he finished 13th in the road race, Armstrong's last option was the time trial. The Australian fans knew it too, and they gave the American a big cheer to send him onto the race course. Armstrong and Ekimov are close. Last month, they warmed up for Sydney by teaming up to win the Grand Prix Eddy Merckx time trial two days before Armstrong was injured in the car collision. "Eki, aside from being a great friend, is a worthy champion," Armstrong said. "He's one of the legends of our sport. He has done more on the track and on the road than a lot of us combined." The American seemed to take his cues Saturday from Ekimov, coming within one second of the fast splits established by the Russian. But Ullrich was there for each stroke of the pedals, and he moved into second place five seconds behind Ekimov's time with one lap remaining. That dropped Armstrong to third, eight seconds behind Ekimov. At the final interval check with about six miles left, Armstrong was in second, seven seconds behind Ekimov. Just over a minute later, Ullrich crossed the checkpoint for a five-second lead over Ekimov. But Ullrich couldn't maintain the pace and he slipped to the silver, ensuring the bronze for Armstrong. Ekimov watched from the pits, smiling and accepting handshakes as his victory became apparent. "I never expected such a performance," Ekimov said. "I was totally nervous watching the last riders. I hoped inside to get a top five would be great, but this is just outstanding." Tyler Hamilton, another Postal Service team member who rode for the Americans, finished 10th in 59:26. Ekimov won the Olympic pursuit gold medal for the Soviet Union in 1988 at Seoul and was one of the first from his nation to turn pro in 1991. Earlier Saturday (Friday night EDT), Mari Holden got the Americans off to a great start by delivering a silver medal in the women's Olympic time trial. Leontien Zijlaard of the Netherlands won her third gold medal of the Sydney Games, covering the 18-mile women's course in 42 minutes flat. Holden, of Colorado Springs, Colo., finished in 42:36, powering her way through the two laps. Mechanical problems and a crash had eliminated her from Tuesday's road race. "I was definitely motivated today," Holden said. "I was just hoping for no flats." Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli of France won the bronze in 42:52. Karen Kurreck of Los Altos Hills, Calif., finished 16th in 44:33. By her split times, Holden clearly was in the medal chase. But since she was the fourth of 12 riders in her flight, the only question was whether her fast times would withstand the challenge of later riders. "In my head, I thought I could win a medal," Holden said. "But I think I was the only one to think that." Holden's was the second cycling medal and Armstrong's the third for the United States, coming after Marty Nothstein's gold in match sprint. Holden had the fastest midpoint interval of any rider except Zijlaard. Holden finished the first of two laps in 21:12 and the time held up until Zijlaard came around in 20:46. Zijlaard has dominated women's cycling in Sydney. She won gold medals in the road race and 3,000-meter individual pursuit, where she set a world record, and took silver in the points race.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
|
