Here's one that made us not so much go awww as OMFG AAAAAAARGHHHHHHHHHHHH THAT'S THE END OF HER!!!!
Dutch cyclist Annemiek van Vleuten was on a no fail gold medal course in the last descent of the women's road race - only followed by Mara Abbott (USA) who does not like downhill on a bike at all, and is a lot slower. Van Vleuten took an unnecessary risk by going all out, she lost control in a turn, tried to stabilize her bike by braking like mad, and just flew off it, with her back right on a high stone kerb. Yep - looked dead alright. A pursuing group of 3 follows 40 seconds later and these girls race like NQM to an exclusive Prada sale. With only a km or so still to go the distance between a golden Abbott and the 3 seems too big to overcome, but Abbott seems to deflate on the spot and totally loses her pace (and speed), she's overtaken by the three maybe 300 metres before the finish and the other Dutch girl Anna vd Breggen in that group races for her dear afterlife and beyond, and winning by a bike's length. I doubt I and the Pomster have ever screamed that hard at a television. Van Vleuten is in hospital with a severe concussion and some minor damage to her spine, but she'll be fine. She is utterly disappointed, but happy for Anna.
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