The Olympics feature the best athletes from around the world competing in the toughest sports against the greatest athletes each nation can field. That said, even Olympians are humans and the latest example could be the best representation of the athletes having human moments.
During the men's Olympic road race in Paris which spans 170 miles, the longest road race in Olympics history, German cyclist Nils Politt found himself in a very unfavorable position. About half through the almost 200-mile race, nature called the German and Politt had to answer the call.
The 30-year-old took a pit stop at Cafe des 2 Moulin, parking his bicycle on the track, to use the restroom as he was surrounded and mobbed by fans watching the event. Although he was able to use the restroom, it appeared the damage had been done.
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By the time Politt crossed the finish line, he was almost 20 minutes behind Belgian star Remco Evenepoel, finishing the race in 70th place. On the other hand, Evenepoel had his own memorable moment in the race, though it did not involve using the restroom.
As Evenepoel was in the final 2.5 miles of the race, the Belgian suffered a puncture, likely a result of pushing hard in the final 23.6 miles. And because he didn't have a radio , he didn't know how far the gap behind him was.
Once he received a spare bike and was ready, he booked it to the finish line underneath the Eiffel Tower. After fretting about how much time he lost and how much further ahead he was compared to the group behind him, Evenepoel realized he was all alone at the finish line.
With no other cyclists around, Evenepoel crossed the finish line and immediately got off his bicycle, positioning it across his body. The 24-year-old then posed at the finish line, arms spread wide with the famous tower in the background as he celebrated his win, devoid of any competition.
Evenepoel finished the race in six hours, 19 minutes, and 34 seconds. His time was more than a minute faster than the French duo Valentin Madouas and Christophe Laporte, who finished the race in second and third, respectively.
Evenepoel's win capped off an impressive two weeks for the Belgian star. Before the race, Evenepoel won the men's time trial, and In his first Tour de France less than two weeks ago, the 24-year-old finished in third place, showcasing his dominance in recent showings.
After the race, Evenepoel posted an emotional message, celebrating his wins and shouting out Belgium for their support throughout the games. "BELGIUM, WE DID IT!!! Double Olympic Champion," he wrote on social media .
"No words... I hope this inspires anyone to chase their dreams. What an incredible race from the entire team and I'm so proud that I could finish it off."
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