ZIJLAARD WINS THIRD GOLD OF GAMES
Leontien Zijlaard of the Netherlands on her way to her third gold medal of the Games in the women's individual time-trial race. Zijlaard has dominated the women's cycling, taking the gold in the road race as well as gold during the track competition in the individual pursuit event. Picture: Eric Gaillard/Reuters
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Leontien Zijlaard of Holland, won her third gold of the Games to become the first woman to sweep cycling golds since women's racing was introduced to the Games 16 years ago.
Zijlaard covered two circuits of the twisting
parkland course, a total of 31.2km, in 42 minutes in a speed
of 44.56kph. Thirty-seven seconds behind was American Mari Holden with
French veteran Jeannie Longo third, 52 seconds off
the pace.
"It’s a medal of a different colour, and will look nice on
the dining table," said Longo of the bronze medal she won in women's cycling time trial. Longo now has a complete set, having won the road race in Atlanta and taken silver in
the time trial at the same Games.
Four days after sprinting home to gold in a damp finish to
the road race, Zijlaard was back on top of the medals podium
once again. Her first triumph came last week with gold in the
3,000 metres pursuit event at Sydney’s Dunc Gray velodrome.
Zijlaard was the natural favourite for the time trial,
having retained the world time trial title in Treviso last
year, but had doubted her chances on such a winding circuit.
"This exceeds all my dreams," the 27-year-old said. "It’s
unbelievable, particularly as I had bad legs and a dry throat.
Maybe the rest were worse off than me." She also won a silver medal in the points race.
British entrant and Olympic debutant Ceris Gilfillan admitted feeling "absolutely dead" after
conquering her pre-race nerves to set the pace for the world’s leading cyclists
in the race. The 20-year-old from Malvern was drawn first of the 24 competitors and covered
the two laps of the 15.6km course in 44.29min, a time none of the next six
riders could match.
Gilfillan was still holding on to third place after the first group of 12
riders, before the big names took over and relegated her to 14th place overall. Britain’s individual pursuit bronze medallist Yvonne McGregor was a further
three places back in 17th with a time of 44.37min.
PETER WATTS
Sunday Times
