Richard Carapaz, who was third in the three-week race tour, won the race after a successful jerk with 25 km left of the 234 km long course, the longest in Olympic history.
- It is the best thing that could have happened in my life, says Carapaz according to Cyclingnews after having won Ecuador's second Olympic gold in history.
The first was taken by pedestrian Jefferson Perez in Atlanta in 1996.
Carapaz broke through by winning the Giro d'Italia 2019.
Second was Wout van Aert, who won the final stage of the tour with a finish in the Champs-Elysees on Sunday night.
- Even though I aimed for gold, this is the best result I could get with me.
It was a guy who was too strong, says van Aert.
Pogacar does not understand why he jerked
22-year-old Tadej Pogacar became the youngest ever to win the tour two years in a row.
He was looking forward to another success.
- I am so super happy and can not describe the feelings that are in me.
I have no words, says the Slovenian who made an attempt to snatch the field up the Mikuni Pass before the finish line on the F1 track Fuji Speedway.
- It felt good in the beginning but I actually do not know how I thought when I made the attack.
I regretted it and just waited for the hill to end, says Pogacar who had to be separated from van Aert via the goal photo.
- It did not matter if I was second or third, a medal is a medal as we say.
It's something fantastic, says Pogacar.