Australian champion Luke Plapp looked set for a powerful showing at the Paris Olympic Games individual time trial after he popped up high on the standings after the first time check but then he came unstuck, crashing in the wet and slippery conditions.
The broadcast didn’t show how the crash came to pass but in social media footage from Anthony Walsh of the Roadman Podcast he can be seen being carefully helped up by Australian team support from near a barrier on the rain-soaked road. The fall occurred in the technical section, through the middle of the course, and as a result instead of delivering a high finish in his meticulously prepared for first Olympic Games time trial the 23 year old was forced to abandon.
The current national time trial and road champion was the 26th rider of 34 to take to the start line at the 32.4km time trial, which was won by world champion Remco Evenepoel (Belgium). Plapp was just one second back from bronze medallist Wout van Aert (Belgium) when he raced through the first time check at 13.1km, and held fourth spot at the point behind Evenepoel and silver medallist Filippo Ganna (Italy) once all the riders had gone through.
That initial intermediate time check had raised hopes that Australia, who had already secured gold with Grace Brown in the women’s time trial, could also be on track for a strong showing in the men’s event on Saturday. However, there was no sign of the rider on the results at the second intermediate point at 22km.
At the time of writing there was no update available on the results of Plapp’s scans and injuries or whether he was expected to be able to participate in the road race following the time trial crash. The article will be updated when further information is available.
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