Luck and power will decide gold

Riders bunch up to conserve energy for the final action

The cycling individual road race is like a cross between a marathon and a game of poker on wheels.

The physical effort of cycling more than 150 miles is obvious, but the riders are also required to exert mental effort in the race for medals.

The event begins with a mass start and the aim is to simply cross the finishing line first, but that is less than half the battle.

The men's Olympic race is over 234km, a distance similar to the longest stages of the Tour de France and slightly shorter than the gruelling one-day classics. The women will compete over 126km.

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Put simply, the race is gruelling test of endurance and stamina with liquid and food available from stations along the course.

Riders who are lapped are required to leave the course unless they are on the final lap.

Cyclists can legally travel in each other's slipstream, allowing them to conserve energy, and this is where the brain joins the brawn.

If a rival decides to attack the main bunch of riders, does the potential gold medallist decide to let him go in the hope that he will eventually be caught?

Or should he waste energy chasing after a break, when it might come to nothing and leave him short of speed later?

Faced with such a dilemma a team leader may sometimes play one of his other cards, sending a lesser rider up the road to chase in case the break is successful.

  Did you know?

In 1920 Henry Kaltenbrun of South Africa believed he had won the road race when he crossed the line first. However, it transpired that Sweden's Harry Stenqvist had been held up for four minutes at one of the six railway crossings on the course. After taking this stop into account it was discovered the Swede had a better time and he was awarded gold.

But this is complicated by the sport's structure.

Riders' wages are paid by trade teams such as US Postal or Mapei, and loyalties in national squads are often split as a result.

Each year the world championship races see similar alliances tested, and others forged between trade team-mates in different national jerseys.

The Brits

Britain has no realistic challengers in the Olympic road race, although Max Sciandri did take bronze in Atlanta behind winner Pascal Richard of Switzerland.

Both now ride for the British Linda McCartney trade team and are each in the twilight of their careers.

Sciandri now rides for the British Linda McCartney squad

The big names of world cycling will be looking to grab the glory, and the unpredictable nature of road racing means it could be almost anybody from the major nations.

American Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong cannot be ruled out, although Germany's Erik Zabel has been the most consistent one-day rider of 2000.

Naturalised Belgian Andre Tchmil, a veteran product of the Soviet Union, is another single day specialist and like Italy's Michele Bartoli is a former winner of the World Cup series of races.

So is Johan Museeuw, a "genuine" Belgian who has returned from getting gangrene in his knee during a race in 1999.

Whether he or Tchmil leads the team is the key, as is the relationship between Bartoliu and Italian national hero Marco Pantani.

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The local favourite will be Australian rider Stuart O'Grady, who has a great chance if he recovers from a broken collarbone.

World champion Oscar Freire of Spain cannot be ruled out either after his surprise win last autumn.

He took the title after an injury-ravaged season left him ranked 373rd. Now he is 25th, and has sprinting speed to go with endurance.

If you are British and looking for someone cheer, then Anglo-Italian Sciandri and Scot David Millar have outside chances if they get into the right move.