234km race ends in stunning photo finish

Ecuador prima Richard Carapaz has claimed a historical golden successful the men's cycling roadworthy contention astatine the Olympic Games successful Tokyo, beating the remainder of the tract by implicit a minute.

The 3rd spot finisher astatine this year's Tour de France hung with the breakaway battalion precocious successful the contention earlier tearing disconnected for a stunning solo sprint to the extremity successful which helium opened up a infinitesimal connected the nearest chasing group.

Embracing his nickname of "The Locomotive," Carapaz rode distant from American breakaway buddy Brandon McNulty arsenic they approached the decorativeness astatine Fuji International Speedway.

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Richard Carapaz claims golden successful Tokyo. (Getty)

The 2019 Giro d'Italia champion was emphatic connected his last kilometre, consenting himself connected done axenic elation arsenic it dawned connected him he'd beryllium incapable to beryllium caught by the decorativeness line.

Carapaz threw his hands up arsenic helium crossed the line, and embraced members of his team.

He slapped his handlebars successful solemnisation and was greeted by 1 of the fewer crowds allowed astatine the Olympics.

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It is Ecuador's archetypal ever cycling medal astatine the Olympics.

"The information is this is the champion moment," Carapaz said.

"The information is it is an unthinkable infinitesimal that words can't describe... I person worked truthful hard to get here. I'm here, I'm enjoying — it's thing truthful large for me."

Wout van Aert (r) from Belgium finishes up of Tadej Pogacar (l) from Slovenia. (Getty)

The scrap for 2nd and 3rd was besides memorable arsenic the chasing radical neared the decorativeness enactment arsenic Belgium's Wout van Aert and Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar emerged for an epic sprint to the line.

A photograph decorativeness was needed to divided the brace with van Aert beating retired Pogacar to the metallic medal.

- With AP