Golden Graham surges to road race glory

Fin Graham broke French hearts as he was crowned road race champion at Paris 2024.

Graham spent the majority of the 71km course doing battle with French pair Thomas Peyroton-Dartet and Alexandre Leaute before powering ahead on the finish to pip Peyroton-Dartet to gold for a maiden Paralympic title.

It meant that the 24-year-old upgraded his Tokyo 2020 silver in the event while also adding to his two world titles.

“I didn’t really know what their plan was because they were talking in French the whole race,” he said.

“Even with the time gaps, the motorbikes were coming up and speaking in French so I was having to ask them.

“Then Alex [Leaute] led up the final climb and I thought that was his attempt to lead Thomas [Peyroton-Dartet] out.

“In the last couple of races I’ve managed to beat him in a sprint so I felt fairy confident.

“I wanted him to lead it out because it was quite far from the last corner and I was confident enough that I was going to be able to come past him.”

The British plan was in action from the offset with Matthew Robertson working as a dutiful domestique at the start of the first lap to keep the Brits in contention before the break away started.

Jaco van Gass and Ben Watson had plans to join the leaders, working as support for Graham, but were unable to find the legs on the day.

Watson led home the rest of the British contingent in fifth alongside van Gass in sixth before Robertson got the edge in a peloton sprint finish to take seventh.

In the women’s road race, Daphne Schrager took sixth and Fran Brown seventh.

It marked the end of a fruitful Paralympic debut for Schrager, who admitted she was taking positive from catching the race leaders on the final two laps, but ultimately too far back to challenge for a medal on the road in Paris.

“I gave it everything I had, I just followed the wrong wheel into the wrong corner early on and the gap opened up,” she said.

“I tried but I couldn’t really bring it back. I could see them for the next two laps but I just couldn’t bridge it.

“I tried everything I could and I’m really proud that I showed how you shouldn’t give up.”