Dawn Walton
Globe and Mail Update Published on Friday, Aug. 08, 2008 6:59PM EDT Last updated on Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2009 8:27PM EDT
Under oppressive heat and the threat of thunderstorms, six Canadians will compete in the gruelling men's and women's Olympic road cycling races, which begin with mass starts at Yongdingmen Gate and take riders on a whirlwind tour that most tourists would covet.
The cyclists will pass through landmarks sites including Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, the Bird's Nest national stadium, the Badaling section of the Great Wall and cross the finish line at the Juyongguan Pass in Changping district.
For the first time in Olympic history, the road races won't end where they started.
Both the men and women will ride a hilly 78.8 kilometres, followed by a set number of laps. Men will race a distance of 245.4 km; the women will cover 126.4 km.
Canadians to watch
In the men's race Saturday, watch for veteran rider Michael Barry of Toronto, who is competing in his third Olympics; Svein Tuft of Langley, B.C., whose grandfather was an Olympic cross-country skier; and Ryder Hesjedal, who this year was the first Canadian since 1997 to ride in the Tour de France (he finished 47th).
On Sunday, look for Leigh Hobson of Cambridge, Ont., who will be celebrating her 38th birthday as she races; Erinne Willock of Victoria, whose father competed in the cycling time-trial event at the 1984 Los Angeles Games; and Alexandra Wrubleski of Regina, an up-and-coming national champion who just missed a medal by finishing fourth at the prestigious Flèche Wallonne World Cup event in April.
Past glories
1984: The last time Canada won an Olympic medal in the men's road cycling race (Steve Bauer, silver).
1996: The last time Canada won an Olympic medal in the women's road-cycling race (Clara Hughes, bronze).
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