Cyclist wins Britain’s first medal

Spectators applaud as the peleton, led by Marianne Vos of The Netherlands, rides up Box Hilll on the outskirts of London, during the women’s cycling road race. Dutch cycling sensation Marianna Vos finally added Olympic road race gold to her impressive collection of titles after beating Britain’s Lizzie Armitstead in the sprint. (MANAN VATSYAYANA / AFP)

July 29, 2012 7:47 PM PT

If three days had passed with no medals for Britain, it would have been time to assemble a Royal Commission to figure out what went wrong. Thankfully, road cyclist Lizzie Armitstead came to the rescue.

Riders from Taiwan, South Korea, Brazil and Venezuela disentangle after a crash in the women’s cycling road race in London. Dutch rider Marianna Vos won gold, Britain’s Lizzie Armitstead won silver and Olga Zabelinskaya of Russia won bronze on the 87-mile course. (STEFANO RELLANDINI / Agence France-Presse)

Spectators watch as riders pass during the women’s road race. (MANAN VATSYAYANA / Agence France-Presse)

Germany’s Ina Teutenberg, left, and Italy’s Giorgia Bronzini sprint for fourth place in the women’s road race. The German beat the Italian at the line. (Michael Kappeler / EPA)

Britain’s Elizabeth Armitstead rides through the drizzle during the women’s cycling road race. Armitstead’s silver was a boost for Britain after the team’s men, including top sprinter Mark Cavendish, failed to make the top 20 in their road race on the first day of the games. (STEFANO RELLANDINI / AFP)

Marianne Vos of The Netherlands, out-sprints Britain’s Elizabeth Armitstead, to win gold in the women’s road race at the 2012 Summer Olympics. (Christophe Ena / Associated Press)

Cyclist Lizzie Armitstead of Great Britain holds up her silver medal in the women’s road race. (Mike Hewitt / Getty Images)