Mark Cavendish leads the field off the line (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 2 of 42
John Degenkolb (Germany) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 3 of 42
Former pro rider Santiago Botero was in London (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 4 of 42
Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) will co-lead the Italian team (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 5 of 42
Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 6 of 42
Bradley Wiggins' handlebar set up for the men's road race (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 7 of 42
The Great Britain team wait to sign on (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 8 of 42
David Millar parks his bike before the start of the race (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 9 of 42
Tom Boonen rode the Tour de Pologne has part of his Olympic build up (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 10 of 42
Savio gives his thumbs up to the Olympic Games (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 11 of 42
Alexandr Vinokurov (Kazakhstan) is set to retire this year (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 12 of 42
Mark Cavendish, flanked by Taylor Phinney (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 13 of 42
Despite the early start fans came out to see the start of the men's Olympic road race (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 14 of 42
The start line of the men's Olympic road race (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 15 of 42
Prince Charles greet British soldiers who have helped the Games with added security (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 16 of 42
Omar Hasannen (Syrian Arab Republic) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 17 of 42
Sungbaek Park (Korea) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 18 of 42
Nicholas Roche on the start line in London (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 19 of 42
The peloton ride over the start line (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 20 of 42
Chris Horner (USA) competing in his first Olympic Games (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 21 of 42
Jakob Fuglsang (Denmark) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 22 of 42
American rider Taylor Phinney (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 23 of 42
One man team Peter Sagan (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 24 of 42
Daryl Impey (South Africa) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 25 of 42
Denis Menchov (Russia) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 26 of 42
Edvald Boassoh Hagen (Norway) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 27 of 42
Murilo Antonio Fischer (Brazil) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 28 of 42
Giro d'Italia winner Ryder Hesjedal (Canada) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 29 of 42
Rigoberto Uran (Colombia) before the start of the men's Olympic road race (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 30 of 42
Daniel Schorn (Austria) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 31 of 42
Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 32 of 42
(Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 33 of 42
Tony Martin (Germany) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 34 of 42
Tom Boonen (Belgium) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 35 of 42
Gerrans and O'Grady both competed in the Beijing Games in 2008 (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 36 of 42
Tejay van Garderen (United States of America) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 37 of 42
Tyler Farrar (United States of America) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 38 of 42
Simon Gerrans (Australia) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 39 of 42
Matthew Goss (Australia) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 40 of 42
Sebastian Langeveld (Netherlands) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 41 of 42
Daniel Martin (Ireland) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Image 42 of 42
The startline of the Olympic Games cycling road race (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
After Friday evening’s spectacular opening ceremony, it was time for the athlete to centre stage with a number of events getting underway in the London Olympic Games. And on The Mall, in central London, the men’s Olympic road race kicked off this morning.
250 kilometres of racing, with nine ascents of Box Hill, before a flat run in to The Mal, willl see the course head from the county’s capital and into some of the most scenic parts of the south of England.
Mark Cavendish (Great Britain) lines up as the race favourite and with Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome among his support, Great Britain will be looking to set up a sprint finale similar to last year’s Worlds. Cavendish won't be alone in his desire for a sprint. Matthew Goss, Andre Greipel, Tom Boonen and Tyler Farrar will have their fingers crossed for a similar outcome. The Spanish, led by Luis Leon Sanchez and Alejandro Valverde, will sense their opportunities will come from a break, while Peter Sagan, the one man team from Slovakia, could look to win from either a break or a sprint.
Cyclingnews Newsletter
Sign up to the Cyclingnews Newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how to do this, and how we hold your data, please see our privacy policy
Thank you for signing up to Cycling News. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.