The Hindu : Sport / Olympic Games : Julien Absalon corners glory

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Aug 29, 2004

Sport

Sport - Olympic Games

Julien Absalon corners glory

ATHENS, AUG. 28. Julien Absalon's had quite a year. Married on Valentine's Day, a second straight French national title and now, Olympic gold.

Absalon, who said his focus had been on Athens since not making France's Olympic team four years ago, pulled away in the second half of the race and eased to victory in 2 hours, 15 minutes, 2 seconds.

Jose Antonio Hermida of Spain finished second, exactly a minute behind Absalon.

Bart Brentjens of the Netherlands, the world's top-ranked rider and 1996 Olympic champion, took the bronze.

Defending Olympic champion Miguel Martinez of France dropped out after five laps because of cramps and dehydration.

Absalon, though, made sure his countrymen went home happy.

He spent much of the first half of the race in a tight battle at the front, with a half-dozen riders separated by only a few seconds.

Midway through the fifth lap of the seven-lap spin around the five-kilometre course, Absalon took off on his own, and no one managed to stay with him.

Even Absalon's wife, Emilie, couldn't handle another day in the punishing sunshine; she collapsed as her husband rode past to begin his final lap.

She stayed down in the gravel for several minutes, while water was applied to her face and a large French flag waved over her, providing both a breeze and relief from sun.

Soon, the flag waved again — this time to celebrate Absalon's win.

Absalon was among the favourites, especially after winning the Olympic preview event at Mount Parnitha in May.

Belgian world champion Filip Meirhaeghe — a silver medallist at Sydney — pulled out of the field last month after testing positive for the banned performance-enhancing drug. — AP

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport