PARIS (AP) — Remco Evenepoel and his Belgian teammates, along with most of the big names in the road race at the Paris Olympics, pedaled softly within a caravan earlier this week as the cyclists did a slow recon ride of the course they will face on Saturday.
The finishing circuit through the bustling tourist area of Montmartre, where the basilica of Sacre Coeur rises high above the city, was supposed to be closed for the ride. But with too many pedestrians and far too much traffic to control, the riders had to be content with a controlled 30 kph (18 mph) look at what could be the decisive spot on the course.
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Grace Brown, of Australia, centre, shows the gold medal of the women's cycling time trial event, flanked by silver medallist Anna Henderson, of Britain, left, and bronze medallist Chloe Dygert, of United States, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
PARIS (AP) — Remco Evenepoel and his Belgian teammates, along with most of the big names in the road race at the Paris Olympics, pedaled softly within a caravan earlier this week as the cyclists did a slow recon ride of the course they will face on Saturday.
Grace Brown, of Australia, centre, shows the gold medal of the women's cycling time trial event, flanked by silver medallist Anna Henderson, of Britain, left, and bronze medallist Chloe Dygert, of United States, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Remco Evenepoel, of Belgium, left, reacts after winning the men's cycling time trial event, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Remco Evenepoel, of Belgium, wins the men's cycling time trial event, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Netherlands' Mathieu van der Poel reacts after crossing the finish line of the twenty-first stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time trial over 33.7 kilometers (20.9 miles) with start in Monaco and finish in Nice, France, Sunday, July 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
The biggest favorite in the men's race decided it wasn't worth it.
Instead, Mathieu van der Poel headed into the countryside for a training ride of his own. He later explained to Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad that it wasn't worth “sacrificing an entire afternoon to cycle around at a tourist pace.”
“I don't find that very useful,” he said. “There are plenty of videos of the course.”
You can bet van der Poel and the rest of the riders will be going decidedly faster than “tourist pace” with medals on the line.
The men's and women's road races traditionally open the cycling program at the Summer Games, but the schedule was altered for Paris. The men and women instead contested a rainy, treacherous time trial last Saturday — Evenepoel survived the slickness to win the men's gold medal, and Grace Brown of Australia took gold in the women's race — before mountain bike, BMX freestyle and BMX racing took center stage at venues scattered around the region.
Now, after a full week of Olympic competition, the focus of cycling shifts back to the road.
The men will ride 273 kilometers (170 miles) on Saturday and the women 158 kilometers (98 miles) on Sunday. Both will depart from the Pont d'Iena, the bridge at the base of the Eiffel Tower crossing the Seine, and head west into the French countryside on identical routes. They diverge there before the men and women contest the same run-in to the finish.
That is what they reconned Thursday, and where both of the races could be decided this weekend.
Riders first pass the Louvre on the way to the finishing circuit at Montmartre, which they will do three times. It includes a steep, kilometer-long climb to the final summit and difficult stretches of cobbles that could throw open the entire race.
"I found the finishing circuit tougher than expected,” said Lorena Wiebes, the leader of a powerful Dutch team that includes Tour de France winner Demi Vollering and former world champions Marianne Vos and Ellen van Dijk. “That last climb at Montmartre is 10 kilometers from the finish, but the peloton will be stretched. It’s all up and down, and a lot of corners.”
It's a course similar to some of the spring one-day Classics such as Paris-Nice, and those tend to favor riders with big power and bike-handling ability — like van der Poel, for example, or any of the riders on the Belgian squad.
Among them is Evenepoel, who followed his third-place finish at the Tour de France by winning the Olympic time trial. He is part of a strong contingent from Belgium that includes time trial bronze medalist Wout van Aert, Jasper Stuyven and Tiesj Benoot.
“Luckily, I’m not the lonely leader in my team, so we have multiple cards to play,” Evenepoel said. “Wout is in very good shape. Jasper as well. Tiesj is also always good in Classics races. We have a very strong team. Unfortunately, there are some other strong riders from other teams as well that are participating.”
The top five nations in the UCI standings get four riders apiece, giving them a big advantage in the smaller Olympic fields.
On the men's side, those teams include France, led by Julian Alaphilippe; the British team of Tom Pidcock, who won a second straight mountain bike gold medal last weekend; the Danish team led by versatile Mads Pedersen; and Slovenia, which Matej Mohoric will lead in place of Tour winner Tadej Pogacar, who withdrew from the Olympics due to fatigue.
The U.S. has three in the men's race, with Matteo Jorgenson joining Brandon McNulty and Magnus Sheffield.
In the women's race, the biggest competition for the Dutch could come from Italy, whose four-rider lineup features Elisa Longo Borghini. Other top teams include the British squad of Lizzie Deignan, the Belgian team of Lotte Kopecky and the Danish bunch of Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, who hopes to be fully recovered from her crash in the rainy time trial.
Kristen Faulkner will join time trial bronze medalist Chloe Dygert to represent the Americans in the women's road race.
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
Grace Brown, of Australia, competes in the women's cycling time trial event, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Grace Brown, of Australia, centre, shows the gold medal of the women's cycling time trial event, flanked by silver medallist Anna Henderson, of Britain, left, and bronze medallist Chloe Dygert, of United States, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Remco Evenepoel, of Belgium, left, reacts after winning the men's cycling time trial event, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Remco Evenepoel, of Belgium, wins the men's cycling time trial event, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Netherlands' Mathieu van der Poel reacts after crossing the finish line of the twenty-first stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time trial over 33.7 kilometers (20.9 miles) with start in Monaco and finish in Nice, France, Sunday, July 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
TOKYO (AP) — Japan erupted with joy Monday as the samurai series “Shogun” won a record 18 Emmys for its first season.
It took home prizes including Outstanding Drama Series, as star and co-producer Hiroyuki Sanada became the first Japanese actor to win the Emmy for best lead actor in a dramatic series. Co-star Anna Sawai won best actress in a dramatic series, also a first for Japan.
“You did it. You did it. Congratulations,” Takashi Yamazaki, director of ” Godzilla Minus One,” wrote on social media.
People followed the awards live as the wins made national headlines. Entertainment media Oricon proudly reported that a work whose spoken lines were mostly in the Japanese language “made Emmy history.”
“The grand scale of Hollywood combined with the high quality of the production, including costuming, props and mannerisms; the collaboration between the Japanese professional team, headed by producer Sanada, and the local production team; as well as the acting that delivered a strong sense of reality, all came together,” the report said.
Actor Kento Kaku, who starred in the 2024 series "Like a Dragon: Yakuza,” said he was feeling inspired to pursue Hollywood dreams.
“After seeing how cool that was, who’s not going to want to take up the challenge,” he wrote on X.
Actress Tomoko Mariya said she broke into tears the moment Sanada’s win was announced.
“What hardships you must have endured, choosing to leave your entire career behind in Japan and going to America alone. But it has borne fruit,” she wrote, referring to Sanada’s move to Los Angeles 20 years ago.
The accolades for “Shogun” reflect not only the growing diversity in American entertainment, but also the legacy of Japan's “jidaigeki” samurai films, which have influenced directors worldwide.
The first Asian actor to win the Emmy for Best Lead Actor in a Dramatic Series was Lee Jung-jae, for the hit 2022 Korean series “Squid Game.”
Sanada is one of a handful of Japanese actors to land major Hollywood roles, including “The Last Samurai,” released in 2003, and “The 47 Ronin,” starring Keanu Reeves in 2013.
The role Sanada plays in “Shogun” was first portrayed by Toshiro Mifune in the 1980s.
Sanada, who also starred in Yoji Yamada ’s 2002 “Twilight Samurai,” alluded to those who went before him in his acceptance speech.
“I thank all those who supported and kept the legacy of jidaigeki alive,” he said in his speech in Japanese, clutching his trophy.
“The passion and dreams we inherited traveled across the seas and crossed borders.”
Yuri Kageyama is on X: https://x.com/yurikageyama
Michael Cliett, winner of the award for outstanding special visual effects in a season or a movie for "Shogun", poses in the press room during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Anna Sawai, left, winner of the award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for "Shogun", and Hiroyuki Sanada, winner of the awards for outstanding lead actor in a drama series, and outstanding drama series for "Shogun" pose in the press room during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Gina Torres, far left, Viola Davis, center, and Christine Baranski present the award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series to Anna Sawai for "Shogun" during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Michael Cliett, winner of the award for outstanding special visual effects in a season or a movie for "Shogun", poses in the press room during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Ezra Frech, from left, and Jane Lynch present the award for outstanding directing for a drama series to Frederick E.O. Toye for "Shogun" during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Ilona Mahler, from left, Brendan Hunt, Caeleb Dressel, Ezra Frech, and Jane Lynch present the award for outstanding directing for a drama series to Frederick E.O. Toye, center, for "Shogun" during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Justin Marks, left center, and Hiroyuki Sanada, center right, and the team from "Shogun" accepts the award for outstanding drama series during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Hiroyuki Sanada, center, winner of the award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series for "Shogun" poses in the press room with the team from "Shogun", winners for award for for outstanding drama series, during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Justin Marks, left, and Hiroyuki Sanada embrace as they accept the award for outstanding drama series for "Shogun" during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Anna Sawai wipes her tears as she accepts the award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for "Shogun" during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Ludmila Cliett, left, and Michael Cliett, winner of the award for outstanding special visual effects in a season or a movie for "Shogun", pose in the press room during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Justin Marks, center, Hiroyuki Sanada, and the team from "Shogun" accept the award for outstanding drama series during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Justin Marks, left center, and Hiroyuki Sanada, center right, and the team from "Shogun" accepts the award for outstanding drama series during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Martin Sheen, far left, Dule Hill, Allison Janney, Janel Moloney, and Richard Schiff present the award for outstanding drama series to Justin Marks, center, and Hiroyuki Sanda for "Shogun" during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Justin Marks, left center, and Hiroyuki Sanada, center right, and the team from "Shogun" accepts the award for outstanding drama series during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Justin Marks, left center, and Hiroyuki Sanada, center right, and the team from "Shogun" accepts the award for outstanding drama series during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Hiroyuki Sanada, center, and the team from "Shogun" accepts the award for outstanding drama series during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Anna Sawai wipes her tears as she accepts the award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for "Shogun" during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Anna Sawai accepts the award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for "Shogun" during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Hiroyuki Sanada accepts the award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series for "Shogun" during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Anna Sawai, left, winner of the award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for "Shogun", and Hiroyuki Sanada, winner of the awards for outstanding lead actor in a drama series, and outstanding drama series for "Shogun" pose in the press room during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
