Cycling: Bourgain drops out of road race in rule farce

French rider Mickael Bourgain quit the Olympic cycling road race after just a few kilometres as planned today, having been forced to take part in order to compete in his favoured keirin track event.

French rider Mickael Bourgain quit the Olympic cycling road race after just a few kilometres as planned on Saturday, having been forced to take part in order to compete in his favoured keirin track event.

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"The plan was for him to pull out after a few kilometres and have someone pick him up there," French technical director Isabelle Gautheron told Reuters by telephone. An International Cycling Union (UCI) rule states that riders taking part in one track event must represent their country in another Olympic discipline.

With no extra slots available in other track events, the French federation decided to select Bourgain for the road race even though he is not a road cyclist.

Bourgain will compete in the keirin at the Velodrome next week.