Tokyo Olympics 2021: No road to glory for Richie Porte, Lucas Hamilton, Luke Durbridge

Australia’s bid for its first medal of the Olympic Games has ended in shock and disappointment on a hot, hilly road in the shadow of Mount Fiji.

Luke Durbridge leads Richie Porte at the front of the peloton Picture: Adam Head

Australian hope Richie Porte’s teammate won gold in the Olympic road race on Saturday — but it was the wrong one.

There were no Covid-safe Australian celebrations at the end of the lung-busting 244km torture test raced in temperatures reaching into the high 30s and on roads soaring upwards and slick from intermittent rain.

That was for the Ecuadorean team, whose rider Richard Antonio Carapaz — a teammate of Porte’s at Team Ineos Grenadiers — won his country’s first gold medal of the Games after six plus hours of toil.

So while the Tour de France might have been painful for Porte, the Olympics won’t be the cherished memory he had hoped for on a course he believed suited him.

“It’s disappointing it went the way it did,’’ he said. “I just didn’t have the legs.

“With the heat and everything, it was just one of the toughest days I have ever had on a bike.’’

Lucas Hamilton and Luke Durbridge making their presence felt during the road race Picture: Adam Head

Porte came home a shock 10 minutes behind the gold medallist with his Aussie teammates — Lucas Hamilton and Luke Durbridge — a further six minutes down the road.

“It’s disappointing it went the way did. But riding with Luke Durbridge and Lucas Hamilton was brilliant,’’ Porte said.

“They did a super job for me and put me in a good position on the final climb.”

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Australia’s three-man team, minus Rohan Dennis who has been set aside to work his magic in the time trial, had lined up with optimism at the race start in the shadow of Mount Fuji.

Crowds, at times five deep, lined the scenic course along with a smattering of protesters upset the Olympics have gone ahead.

And for all but the final 40km or so of the race, Porte was in the fight for a medal on the opening day of the Olympics.

Australia's Lucas Hamilton racing past Yamanaka Lake Picture: Adam Head

In the end, Porte finished 48th. Hamilton, the 25-year-old debutant bought in to replace Cameron Meyer, who withdrew for family reasons, finished in 71st place, 16 minute and 20 seconds in arrears.

Durbridge, who has dedicated a decade to the task of helping others reach success, placed 72nd, also 16 minutes and 20 seconds behind the new Olympic champion

He was also a late replacement for Jack Haig, another casualty of a crash-riddled Tour de France, which left him with a broken collarbone and a cancelled ticket to Tokyo.

Richard Carapaz from Ecuador crosses the finish line at the Fuji International Speedway Picture: Adam Head

Like other sports, there were men missing from Saturday’s field due to coronavirus, with

Czech Republic rider Michal Schlegel testing positive and forced out of the Games, as was German Simon Geschke.

Belgian Wout van Aert won silver and Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar the bronze.

Australia will shoot for another medal on Sunday in the women’s road race, a 144km test with 2692m of elevation.

Amanda Spratt, Sarah Gigante and Grace Brown are Australia’s hopes.