Gold Medal Effort

Personally, I can't remember a more dramatic two days of Olympic road racing since 1984 in Los Angeles.

I guess enough time has passed now, and everyone is aware of today's women's road race at the Olympics. It was a heartbreaker following an amazing effort by Mara Abbott, after charging up the final climb at the head of, first the chase, and then the break, what must have have been the nerve rattling sight of Dutch rider Annamiek van Vleuten, whom Mara was chasing on the descent, lying motionless against the curb, and then being caught so close to the gold medal finish line. Circumstance, more than anything kept her from the podium, and though she might not be returning home with a medal, hers was a gold medal effort, none-the-less. 

As for the crash, the only worse one I have ever watched as it happened, was the one that took the life of Wouter Weylandt at the Tour de France a few years ago. Today's was horrific, and I was not surprised that broadcasters held off replaying it until there was some positive news; the mrs, fearing the worst, cried as she watched, the boy came running downstairs to find out what the ruckus was all about. Best wishes to Annamiek during her recovery.

Going back a few years with this one - Mara Abbott, 2013 San Dimas Stage Race Champion.