Cyclist Van Avermaet was lucky but deserving of Olympic gold

Near Copacabana beach, Belgian cyclist Van Avermaet came in first to seize the gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, a win that was as lucky as it was deserved, with a particularly outstanding performance as he came down to the finish line after 237 tough and dangerous kilometers.

He was accompanied on the podium by Denmark’s Jacob Fuglsang who took silver and Poland’s Rafal Majka who took bronze.

Coming down the steep final descent, the Italian Vincenzo Nibali and Colombia’s Sergio Henao looked to be fighting it out for places on the podium, only to have Van Avermaet, Fuglsang and Majka benefit from their crash at 12 kilometers from the finish line.

But perhaps neither of the racers would have fallen Majka escaped by the skin of his teeth on Vista Chinesa’s challenging descent if Van Avermaet hadn’t been pressuring them like a man possessed as he pulled away from the group of select racers that also included Spain’s Joaquim “Purito” Rodriguez.

On the way downhill Nibali was leading a powerful Italian team, but suddenly luck abandoned him as it did Henao, even as it embraced Van Avermaet, though luck wouldn’t have done if the Belgian hadn’t the skill, strength and endurance to come though the rough patches successfully.

His Olympic gold is added to his two victories in the Tour de France and one this year in the Vuelta a España, among others.