American cyclist Mara Abbott was leading the women's road race with 150 meters of Copacabana Beach left before three cyclists overtook her, snatching not only a chance at gold, but also a shot at any medal altogether.
Abbott, hailing from Boulder, Colorado, had taken the lead and was up by as much as 40 seconds after previous leader Annemiek van Vlueten suffered a horrible crash that left her unconscious "for a considerable period of time," according to a Dutch team manager.
With fans lining the final stretch, Abbott faltered and was unable to maintain her significant lead.