Viktor Kapitonov – The first Soviet cyclist to become an Olympic champion. It happened at the 1960 Games in Rome. Yes, so far not to forget.
Kapitonov’s calling card is falls and accidents on the highway. Everything happened to him at the most critical moment. The coaches believed in the athlete, but he himself did not try to find any patterns in this matter. But during the 175km group road race, life throws him on another unpleasant adventure.
The first half of the race was routine because no one was in a hurry to leave. Kapitonov waited for that moment for a long time, and then, taking advantage of the fatigue and carelessness of his opponents, he began to leave. Of all the competitors, only the owner of the track livio trap He managed to sit behind the Soviet athlete. It was he who was considered the favorite of the competition, but now nothing could be guaranteed. The suffocating sun of Rome (the temperature in the shade reached +45) could wipe out any Olympian.
It was difficult for both Kapitonov and Trapa, but our athlete, who knew all the hardships of the Great Patriotic War, was not allowed to lose. And this installation is not made by someone, but by himself. With three laps to go, Victor tried to get away from the competitor. Successful. But the Italian motorcyclists accompanying the riders decided to help their competitors. They punctured Livio’s airway, so Kapitonov, seeing this, had to slow down. So they were united again in a duet.
And then something happened that captured everyone’s heart. Kapitonov began to finish, one lap before the end of the race, on the floor of the heat. He already raised his hands in victory, but they hastened to tell him that he was early rejoicing. Trape was ahead 500 meters when Kapitonov returned to the track. It seemed impossible to pass him. At that moment, everyone in the stands was already sure of Trape’s victory, and journalists were making loud headlines about their athletes’ victory, but that wasn’t the case.
Kapitonov drove the Italians at the finish with a half-wheel, forcing the stands to freeze. One of the journalists compared him to a demon during the attack. It was later revealed that he did it on an amateur Cinelli bike, although it was important to his fans and rivals. Having finished, Kapitonov himself just thought about the whole sea of popsicle on a stick.
“I ran after the Italian and got within twenty meters of him. But when I was already catching up to Trape, he blocked my way. And I ran to the right where the opponent couldn’t stop me. The speed was insane. Everything melted in my eyes. The hot wind whipped his face. Trape groaned and growled beside him. Our wild dance was about to come to an end. I crossed the finish line half a wheel ahead of the Italians! … Trape sobbed, covering her face with her hands. I don’t know what to do, to be second, – Kapitonov recalled in the book “It’s worth living for.”
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A few years after arriving in Rome, Trape named his son Victor.
“This is a victory” – the telegraph channel of Victoria Dmitrieva. There are even more cool sports!
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