A number of cyclists fell off their bikes on the first morning of the Paris Olympics as participants struggled to cope with the wet conditions.
American athlete Taylor Knibb fell off her bike four times during the women’s road cycling time trials as rain cascaded down in the French capital.
And she was soon followed by her mechanic, who flew out onto the road as he rushed to give the motorcyclist a new bike.
American athlete Taylor Knibb fell off her bike four times during the women’s road cycling time trials
Pre-race favourite Chloe Dygert also crashed on the course as she tried to catch Australian Grace Brown.
And she ended up just one second behind Team GB’s Anna Henderson, meaning the British cyclist claimed a spectacular silver medal.
The race was plagued by accidents as riders battled the treacherous conditions in Paris, knowing that a crash would likely mean the end of their medal chances.
At first, Danish rider Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig slipped on her left side before carefully getting back on her bike.
Then disaster struck for American hope Knibb, as the contender, who had been fastest through the 13.1km halfway point, fell twice within minutes, including once in the exact same spot as her Danish counterpart.
Knibb’s hopes were completely dashed when he suffered a puncture in the pouring rain before his mechanic slipped on arrival to replace the bike.
Even when the rain subsided, the streets of Paris remained completely swamped by grey clouds and gloomy weather that provided a dramatic backdrop to the event.
The next contender for world road race champion Lotte Kopecky fell victim to the slippery surfaces and fell hard onto the hard surface.
As the first riders began to cross the finish line, it was clear how the weather had taken its toll, with exhausted riders completing the race with bloody knees and bruised bodies.
