The 31-year-old American, Kristen Faulkner, surprised the favourites after the demanding 157 kilometre Olympic road race. She stayed with the best, remained cool and calculated and knew when to attack with four kilometres to go. She left gold medal contenders Marianne Vos and Lotte Kopecky, two of the best cyclists in history, behind.

As expected, the 157.6 kilometres were tough. Similar to the men's race on Saturday, the decisive passages on the Côte de la Butte Montmartre determined the final result. The streets of Paris were packed with spectators, especially at this hotspot of the event.

Kristen Faulkner became the second American woman to be crowned road world champion after Connie Carpenter-Phinney in Los Angeles in 1984. It's been 30 years and no one has done it again, no one has won two gold medals in either the women's or men's race.

All eyes were on Kopecky and Longo Borghini. They were veterans with an extra burst of speed to win. Faulkner joined a select group of riders, including them, Rüegg, Georgi and Spain's Mavi, who were 31 seconds behind the two leaders, Vos and Vas, in the final part of the race.

There was a lack of coordination to catch the two leaders and Faulkner and Kopecky broke away from the chase group to reach the front. However, with three kilometres to go, Faulkner attacked in order to avoid a finish with Kopecky where she might be in trouble. Faulkner's victory was the most prestigious of her career, adding to her national title and a stage in the 2024 Vuelta a España.

The sprint behind the American was a photo finish with a remarkable equality. Marianne Vos of the Netherlands, London 2012 Olympic champion and three-time world champion, and Lotte Kopecky of Belgium took the medals. Blanka of Hungary finished fourth. For 37-year-old Vos, this could have been one of her last chances for Olympic glory, but she was not to be denied.

The women's road race course was treacherous, with 1,800 metres of climbing over 158 kilometres. This was slightly less than in the previous two editions.

In the ten editions of the Olympic Games featuring the women's road race, no female cyclist has ever repeated as Olympic champion. Nor has a male cyclist achieved the same feat in the 27 editions where the road race has been included in the Games. Paris 2024 has not broken this record, with Remco Evenepoel completing a historic men's double by winning both the time trial and the road race.

90 cyclists lined up at the start in Paris, ready to face the challenges of climbs such as the Côte du Pavé des Gardes and the Côte de la Butte Montmartre, the former 1.3 kilometres long and 5.8% steep, the latter 1 kilometre long and 5.4% steep, but just ten kilometres from the finish, making it a crucial point in the tactical plans.

The first few kilometres took their toll on the peloton. The strong nations took the lead. Belgium, with Kopecky, was the team to beat, just like their male counterparts the day before.

In the early kilometres, as in the men's race, an exotic breakaway formed with the Afghan riders Fariba and Yulduz Hashimi. Alongside them was Vietnam's Thi That. They gained a lead of over five minutes. However, the best was yet to come. The Dutch started the fight. Vos took advantage of one of the three climbs to Montmartre to break away with Blanka. But the strongest legs belonged to Faulkner, who attacked, caught the leaders and attacked again to cross the line at the Trocadero and take Olympic gold.

Road race medals

Kristen Faulkner (USA) 3h 59m. 23 (GOLD)

Marianne Vos (NED) + 58 sec. (SILVER)

Lotte Kopecky (BEL) + 58 sec. (BRONZE)