Source: BOCOG

08-18-2008 19:42

Special Report:   2008 Beijing Olympic Games

 

Vos of Netherlands celebrates after winning gold.

(BEIJING, August 18) -- Marianne Vos of the Netherlands erased her disappointment of finishing sixth in the Cycling Road Race with a clear victory in the Women's Points Race at the Laoshan Velodrome on Monday.

Vos lapped the field and won the first of 10 sprints to lock up the gold medal in the 100-lap, 25-kilometre race featuring 10 point sprints. It is the first Olympic medal of her career.

Yoanka Gonzalez of Cuba won the second, eighth and 10th sprints to take the silver medal and Leire Olaberria of Spain took the bronze with 13 points. Gonzalez's silver was the first Olympic medal in Cycling Track for Cuba.

Olaberria tied Maria Luisa Calle of Colombia on points, but the tie-breaker was the position across the line in the final sprint. With second in the final sprint, the Spanish rider claimed the final spot on the podium.

Sarah Hammer of the United States, Wadami Satomi of Japan, Verena Jooss of Germany and Li Yan of China crashed just after the second sprint when riders touched wheels in the bunch. Only Li could continue.

Great Britain's Rebecca Romero, a day after winning the Women's Individual Pursuit gold medal, was active throughout the first half, chasing down breakaways, but every time she tried to pull away from the pack, someone marked her wheel.

Calle chased her down to pull to a tie with Vos after six sprints.

Vos went on to the attack to lap the field ahead of the seventh sprint to gain a decisive, 20-point bonus. Gonzalez surged into second with two sprints to go, leaving Calle and Olaberria to race for third.

Vos of Netherlands celebrates after winning gold.

 

Editor:Chen Ge