Welsh duo Stephen Williams and Josh Tarling were unable to threaten the podium in a history-making men’s road race in Paris.

Aberystwyth’s Williams finished 31st and Aberaeron’s Tarling 47th in a thrilling contest won by Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel, who backed up his time trial success to become the first cyclist to do that particular double.

The Belgian suffered a puncture 3.5km out but had a comfortable enough lead to cross the Trocadero finish line more than a minute clear of French duo Valentin Madouas and Christophe Laporte, who completed the podium.

Evenepoel clocked 6:19.34 in the longest road race in Olympic history, with Williams, fresh from his maiden Tour de France, finishing the 170-mile course in 6:23.16.

Tarling, who was two seconds off a medal in the time trial after suffering a puncture mid-race, came home in 6:26.57.

Tom Pidcock was the best of the Brits in 13th but the double mountain bike gold medallist, who defended his crown in exhilarating style with one of the moments of the Games so far, rued a ‘sluggish’ performance.

“That mountain bike race took a lot out of me and I didn’t have that extra punch,” Pidcock said.

“I was a bit sluggish and slow, I was never really in the proper race.

“On the last lap, I felt a little bit better. I didn’t really feel like myself. I didn’t get much sleep after the mountain bike, too many people gave me birthday cake on my birthday (July 30).

“I had to take an easy week to try and refresh, I was just so mentally exhausted.

“It was important to finish in a good way. It was a hard-fought 13th place, but I have to finish off the best I could.”

Fred Wright rounded off the British contingent and finished 43rd.

“I’m gutted,” he said. “When Remco came to the group I was in, I just didn’t have it.

“I was already skipping turns, trying to recover from the effort of getting there. I’m proud of how I put myself there but I just wish I had a bit more.

“It was on one of the drags, the lights just went out. I was on the limit. We had a good group. I did what I could.”

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