Mark Cavendish leads the field off the line (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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John Degenkolb (Germany) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Former pro rider Santiago Botero was in London (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) will co-lead the Italian team (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Bradley Wiggins' handlebar set up for the men's road race (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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The Great Britain team wait to sign on (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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David Millar parks his bike before the start of the race (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Tom Boonen rode the Tour de Pologne has part of his Olympic build up (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Savio gives his thumbs up to the Olympic Games (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Alexandr Vinokurov (Kazakhstan) is set to retire this year (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Mark Cavendish, flanked by Taylor Phinney (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Despite the early start fans came out to see the start of the men's Olympic road race (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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The start line of the men's Olympic road race (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Prince Charles greet British soldiers who have helped the Games with added security (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Omar Hasannen (Syrian Arab Republic) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Sungbaek Park (Korea) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Nicholas Roche on the start line in London (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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The peloton ride over the start line (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Chris Horner (USA) competing in his first Olympic Games (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Jakob Fuglsang (Denmark) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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American rider Taylor Phinney (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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One man team Peter Sagan (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Daryl Impey (South Africa) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Denis Menchov (Russia) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Edvald Boassoh Hagen (Norway) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Murilo Antonio Fischer (Brazil) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Giro d'Italia winner Ryder Hesjedal (Canada) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Rigoberto Uran (Colombia) before the start of the men's Olympic road race (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Daniel Schorn (Austria) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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(Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Tony Martin (Germany) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Tom Boonen (Belgium) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Gerrans and O'Grady both competed in the Beijing Games in 2008 (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Tejay van Garderen (United States of America) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Tyler Farrar (United States of America) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Simon Gerrans (Australia) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Matthew Goss (Australia) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Sebastian Langeveld (Netherlands) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Daniel Martin (Ireland) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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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.
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