The first cycling competition of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games was Saturday’s women’s time trial, raced in treacherously wet conditions. Grace Brown not only earned Australia’s first-ever Olympic women’s chrono gold medal, but its first women’s time trial medal period. Canadian Olivia Baril took 20th.
The Course
The course started at Les Invalides south of the Seine in the 7th arrondissement before an out and back to the east. The finish was at Pont Alexandre III after 32.4 flat kilometres. The time checks were both at Château de Vincennes. The afternoon was wet.
As with the men’s race, none of the podium from Tokyo 2020 were racing in Paris. Canada’s Olivia Baril was the 11th to launch. By the time Baril launched into the moist streets, no one had reached the first Château de Vincennes time check.
After nine riders hit Time Check 1, the USA’s Taylor Knibb had the best time, but she crashed in a corner. Baril was second after 11 riders, 30 seconds slower than Knibb, who crashed again before Time Check 2. At the second check, Baril posted the best intermediate time with 29:20. Back at the Pont Alexandre III, Slovenian Urška Pintar was the first to come home, her time 47:07.
Much was expected of Dutch rider Ellen van Dijk, American world champion Chloe Dygert and Aussie Grace Brown. With Dygert’s departure from the start house, everyone was underway. Van Dijk wasn’t on a particularly good ride.
After 13 riders finished, Baril was fifth.
Brown was five seconds faster than Dygert with the best Time Check 1 marker, 16:02. The Aussie caught her minute woman Christina Schweinberger before setting the fastest time at Time Check 2, 27:08. Like her compatriot Knibb, Dygert crashed.
Brit Anna Henderson scooped the silver and Dygert managed to hang on for bronze.
Gold) Grace Brown (Australia)
Silver) Anna Henderson (Great Britain)
Bronze) Chloe Dygert (USA)
20) Oliva Baril (Canada)
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