Penrith Cycling Club cyclist cyclist Amanda Spratt was the first Australian to cross the finish line in the women’s cycling road race at the Rio Olympics, finishing 15th.
Spratt, 28 of Springwood in the Blue Mountains, was four minutes behind race winner, Dutch cyclist Anna van der Breggen.
But the race was marred by a horrendous crash involving Dutch rider Annemiek van Vleuten, a member of Australian professional team Orica-AIS. Van Vleuten lost control after she had gained a marginal solo lead with 10km to go to the finish.
Rain had just started falling in Rio when the 33-year-old flew off her bike head first, hit a gutter on the course and did not move.
Van Vleuten was taken from the course in an ambulance and there were unconfirmed reports from the Dutch chef de mission, Maurits Hendriks, saying she was conscious.
Another journalist in Rio also tweeted a short time after the crash that van Vleuten was conscious after the crash.
Winner of the women's road World Cup in 2011, van Vleuten was riding as a teammate to Vos, Anna van der Breggen and Ellen van Dijk on Sunday.
All of Australia's entries in the Olympic event are professional teammates of Van Vleute at Orica-AIS.
Emma Johannson (SWE) claimed silver and Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA) took bronze in the event.
Amanda Spratt, a Penrith Cycling Club member, also competed in the 2012 Olympics, battling atrocious weather to place 55th. She is the current national road race champion and won the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in January.
