Olympic road races yield early drama for delayed Tokyo Games

FILE - Anna Van Der Breggen, of the Netherlands, celebrates after crossing the finishing line to win the women's cycling road race final at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in this Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016, file photo. The men's and women's road races kick off the cycling program at every Summer Olympics. “Everybody in the world is trying to figure out how to beat the Dutch girls,” said Jim Miller, the high performance director for USA Cycling. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano, File)

FILE - Laura Trott, left, and her fiance Jason Kenny, both of Britain, pose with their gold medals at the Rio Olympic Velodrome during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in this Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016, file photo. Britain is hoping to back up consecutive dominant performances in Olympic cycling at the Tokyo Games next month, though much has changed since Rio. Allegations of bullying, sexism and discrimination along with doping charges leveled at its ex-chief doctor have led to leadership changes at British Cycling. Still, such riders at the husband-wife track duo of Jason and Laura Kenny and youngsters such as Tao Geoghegan Hart have the British team eyeing more gold in Japan. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

File-This Sept. 27, 2019, file photo shows United States' Megan Jastrab celebrating winning the women junior event at the road cycling World Championships in Harrogate, England. The cycling team that the U.S. is taking to the Tokyo Olympics is a little bit different than the one it would have taken a year ago, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced organizers to postpone the Summer Games by an entire year. Among those on the team announced Thursday, June 10, 2021, are mountain biker Haley Batten, who's been on the podium each of the first two World Cup races of the season; Jastrab, the 19-year-old track cycling prodigy who will be part of the gold medal-favorite women's pursuit team and also contest the Madison; and 23-year-old time trial star Brandon McNulty. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, File)

FILE - United States' Chloe Dygert pedals during the women elite race at the road cycling World Championships in Harrogate, England, in this Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019, file photo. The men's and women's road races kick off the cycling program at every Summer Olympics. “Everybody in the world is trying to figure out how to beat the Dutch girls,” said Jim Miller, the high performance director for USA Cycling. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, File)

Netherland's Demi Vollering of the SD Worx smiles after she won La Course by Le Tour de France women's cycling race, in Landernau, France, Saturday, June 26, 2021. (Benoit Tessier, Pool Photo via AP)

FILE - Nino Schurter of Switzerland celebrates after winning the men's cross-country cycling mountain bike race at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in this Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016, file photo. Defending champion Nino Schurter of Switzerland will go for his fourth consecutive Olympic medal at the Tokyo Games. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

The pack with Netherland's Mathieu Van Der Poel, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, rides during the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 182.9 kilometers (113.65 miles) with start in Lorient and finish in Pontivy, France, Monday, June 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)