<http://www.suntimes.com/output/olympics/olycycle17.html>
CYCLISTS DOWN TO LAST SHOT AT ROAD MEDALS
August 17, 2004
BY Tim Reynolds - ASSOCIATED PRESS
VOULIAGMENI, Greece -- On a tiny black-and-white television
plugged into the cigarette lighter of his family's car, Bobby
Julich watched Alexi Grewal win cycling gold for the United
States 20 years ago.
Last winter, he touched Grewal's medal. And a broken wrist
won't stop Julich from trying to win his own.
Julich will be among four American riders in Wednesday's time
trials for men and women, the last chance for the U.S. road
cycling team to win medals at these Olympics. At Sydney in 2000,
Lance Armstrong won bronze in the men's time trial; Mari Holden
won a silver for the women.
"The reason I got into cycling was watching Alexi win that gold
medal," Julich said Tuesday after training on the course one
final time. "When I got to hold it, I don't know, it was like
my career has gone full circle. And now I have the chance to
win it for myself. Enough said. I don't need any more
motivation than that."
Reigning national time trial champion Christine Thorburn will
ride in the women's field, as will Dede Barry. Medal hopeful
Tyler Hamilton joins Julich in representing the U.S. in the
men's field. Women will do one 14.9-mile lap, the men two,
with riders going out 90 seconds behind one another.
Unlike the demanding city course that riders navigated for
last weekend's road races, the time trial loop in this seaside
village with gleaming beaches 12 miles south of downtown
Athens is built for speed. It rolls along the coast of the
Saronic Gulf, is relatively flat and may be ideal for racing
against the clock.
"It's a great power rider's course," Barry said. "It's not
technical at all. There's no question that the strongest
rider will win."
Julich hurt his right wrist during a crash in the 13th stage
of last month's Tour de France. X-rays originally failed to
show a break, but he learned before Saturday's road race that
he had suffered a non-displaced fracture and will likely need
a cast.
That will wait. For now, Julich's aim is to join the ranks
of Grewal and Connie Carpenter-Phinney-- who won the 1984
Olympic road races in Los Angeles, the only road golds
claimed for the United States since 1904.
"This is it. This is what I've waited four years for,"
Julich said. "This is not going to affect my race at all."
Actually, his Olympic quest dates far longer. He was 11 when
Grewal won gold; Julich's father knew Grewal's father, so the
Julich clan wanted to get home from a day trip in time to watch.
They didn't make it. So, when they found a spot on the roadside
where the picture on the portable television wasn't rolling
and fuzzy, they pulled over and saw it happen. Julich never forgot.
"Watching Alexi Grewal that day was what got me going in
cycling," Julich said. "And here I am."
Defending women's gold medalist Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel
of the Netherlands will seek for a repeat gold. She crashed
late in Sunday's women's road race, badly bruising her hip
and shoulder-- but has been cleared to compete in the time trial.
Germany's Judith Arndt-- the road race silver medalist who
was fined for gesturing toward her national federation's
officials as she finished Sunday-- is among the women's
favorites, along with world champion Joane Somarriba Arrola
of Spain. Road gold medalist Sara Carrigan of Australia isn't
riding the time trial.
The men's field is loaded, with Armstrong the most notable
absence. He opted not to compete in these Olympics, instead
returning to Texas after winning a record sixth Tour de
France to see his children.
Viatcheslav Ekimov of Russia won gold in Sydney but now,
at 38, he can hardly be considered a lock to repeat.
Germany's Jan Ullrich won silver in 2000's time trial and
may need gold here to salvage what's been a disappointing
season, and road race gold medalist Paolo Bettini of Italy
is also a top time trial rider.
Britain's David Millar, who won the 2003 world title,
isn't here-- he's serving a two-year doping suspension
and will likely be stripped of his crown; the man who'd
be in line to receive it, world runner-up Michael Rogers
of Australia, is another top pre-race Olympic men's favorite.
"It's a pretty star-studded lineup," Julich said. "You don't
see this many great riders on form at a world championships.
The Olympics is really lucky they got such a great field."