Thrills, spills and broken dreams: Dramatic road race gets the Games off to a flier (but Team GB will have to wait for its first gold)

• Men's Road Race started on The Mall in London at 10am and finished at 3.45pm
• Briton Mark Cavendish had been hot favourite, but finished well down the field
• Kazakhstan rider Alexander Vinokourov, 38, powered to victory in final sprint down the Mall
• World champion Cavendish eventually finished in 29th, 40 seconds off the winner
• Cavendish reveals he had 'been nervous this week' and tweets: 'I am nervous'
• Elsewhere, China claim first gold meal of the Games in the women's 10m air rifle
• Team GB also suffer disappointing defeat in judo, archery and badminton
• Drugs scandal as Albanian weightlifter Hysen Pulaku is kicked out of Games for failing anti-doping test

After the stunning Opening Ceremony last night, all eyes have turned to the real Olympic action to see if the sport could provide the same kind of spectacle.
And if today's men's road race is anything to go by, Olympic fans are in for a memorable fortnight of twists, turns, and amazing surroundings.
The nail-biting race took in picturesque countryside and iconic London landmarks as cyclists ended the 156-mile course at breakneck pace.
Although the race ended in disappointment for Britain and favourite Mark Cavendish, the estimated one million fans who lined the route still created an electric atmosphere.

Fight to the finish: Kazakhstan's Alexander Vinokourov dashed Britain's hopes of an early gold medal by powering to victory over favourite Mark Cavendish

Dejected: Cavendish cannot hide his disappointment after finishing 29th in the race, as his girlfriend Peta Todd and their young daughter Delilah looked on

Crossing the line: Cavendish (second from right) despite support from British teammates including Bradley Wiggins, could not match the pace of the leading pack and finished 29th

Perfect setting: The Mall was the iconic final stretch of the thrilling race, where thousands lined the streets in central London

Home straight: The eventual gold and silver placed riders, Alexandr Vinokurov and Rigoberto Uran, ride alongside Buckingham Palace during a tense finale

Over 130 riders had set off at 10am this morning from just outside Buckingham Palace, before heading west out of London towards the idyllic Surrey countryside.
Having negotiated the steep inclines of Box Hill in Surrey, they then returned back to the capital via the stunning surroundings of Richmond Park, Hampton Court Palace and Putney Bridge.

 

As the leading pack tore through west London, the sprint finish saw Kazakhstan rider Alexander Vinokourov claim gold ahead of Colombian Rigoberto Uran.

The 38-year-old winner finished 40 second ahead of Cavendish, who crossed the line in a disappointing 29th position.
The leading pair dashed the hopes of a million fans who had lined the streets of the 156-mile route, hoping to see Britain's cyclists kickstart Team GB's medal haul.
Norway's Alexander Kristoff took bronze in the race, as hot favourite Cavendish eventually finished 40 seconds behind the winner in 29th position.
In the end, perhaps nerves and the weight of expectation of a nation got the better of Cavendish.
Following the success of teammate Bradley Wiggins in the Tour de France, in many people's eyes Cavendish had already been anointed champion. But earlier in the day he admitted on Twitter: 'I am nervous.'
Thousands of people waving Union Flags lined the route and the nation's hopes had rested on Cavendish to continue the feelgood factor after a UK TV audience of 26.9million people watched last night's stunning opening ceremony.
Cavendish, known as the Manx Missile, was also cheered on by his girlfriend, former Page 3 model Peta Todd, 25, the mother of his four-month-old daughter.

Keeping close: Cyclists climb Box Hill in the men's road race this afternoon

Scenic: Earlier on the 130 riders had cycled through Richmond Park in south west London on their way to the home straight

Round the bend: Competitors take a sharp bend while negotiating Box Hill in Surrey during the six-hour race

Admiring the view: At the midpoint in the race cyclists had tackled Box Hill in Surrey, overlooking some stunning English countryside

Great expectations: Fans line the race route in Twickenham in anticipation of the arrival of the peloton

 

Cavendish, the world champion and winner of 23 Tour de France stages, had been a favourite at the start of the 250-kilometre race but crowds experienced early nerves as a 12-man breakaway group led by more than five minutes early on.

He lagged behind the front group as the riders re-entered Richmond Park as the race neared its end.
But a key moment offered a ray of hope as half a dozen leaders misjudged a corner and crashed out of the race.
However in the end Kazakhstan's Alexandr Vinokourov triumphed in the dramatic race.
Colombia's Rigoberto Uran, a Team Sky colleague of Cavendish's, claimed silver, with Norway's Alexander Kristoff third.
He had described Britain's five-man squad as the 'dream team', featuring Tour winner Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome, David Millar and Ian Stannard.
All four had ridden in support of Cavendish when he won the World Championships road race in Copenhagen last September, but this task was tougher, according to Millar and Wiggins.
And despite phenomenal support from his four British team-mates a late breakaway stayed clear and Vinokourov, who served a two-year ban until 2009 for blood doping, won the sprint for the line.
Cavendish was unhappy the likes of Australia and Germany, who had sprinters in their teams, were reluctant to pursue the breakaway.

On the charge: Cavendish (sixth from left) is supported by fellow Team GB riders Chris Froome (right), Tony Martin, Bradley Wiggins, David Millar and Ian Stannard

Tightly bunched: The peloton (main group of riders) complete one of the nine circuits of Box Hill in Surrey as the dramatic race heated up

The long and winding road: A group of cyclists who had formed a breakaway group turn a hairpin bend in Surrey during the men's road race

Taking the scenic route: The 134 riders had little time to admire the spectacular Surrey countryside as they did battle with Box Hill nine times during the race

He added: 'It's bitterly disappointing. There's 70 guys in our group at the finish, I don't understand why there's (only) three guys riding. It doesn't make sense.
'No-one wants to help us. The Australians sit there. They always just ride negatively...they're happy to see us lose.
'I'd like to say that's how it goes, but it's disappointing.
'But we did everything. We can't make excuses. We did everything we said we were going to do and more. To see the guys with the calibre they've got ride like that for me is incredible.'
On his team-mates, he continued: 'Incredible. I couldn't be more proud of them. They're still sat there in their kit in the tent. They're absolutely spent.
'They just rode 250k (kilometres) they've gone 60k an hour for the last hour. It's incredible, I'm so proud of them.'
Despite the result, Cavendish relished the experience of competing in front of vocal support at a home Games.
'All our ears are ringing,' he said. 'Obviously we don't pick up on individuals, you just hear noise. It was tremendous the whole way round.
'It's something I'll remember forever.
'I haven't got a medal but I can be completely proud of my team and completely proud of my country for their support.'
Cavendish had lagged behind the front group as the riders re-entered Richmond Park as the race neared its end.

Flying the flag: One young fan showed her support by painting her face in the colours of the Union Jack, while another carried the colours of the Isle of Man, from where Cavendish hails

The riders cross Putney Bridge in south west London near the start of the six-hour race

Royal setting: The riders set off along the Mall at the start of the race, which will see them back in central London for the final sprint at around 3.50pm

Distraction: A minor disaster was averted early on in the race when a black dog appeared to dash across the track in front of dozens of cyclists in Twickenham

But a key moment offered a ray of hope as half a dozen leaders misjudged a corner and crashed out of the race. But the Team GB riders were too far behind to take advantage.
Fans had gathered at the home of British cycling in Manchester in the hope of watching Mark Cavendish claim gold.
Supporters, some dressed in Team Sky tops, gathered around a big screen at the National Cycling Centre (NCC) to watch the British team.
Rose Joyce, acting duty manager at the velodrome, said: 'I'm disappointed for Cav mainly because he is one of our lads but he is still a champ in our eyes.'
Mrs Joyce, who has worked at the NCC for 14 years, said Cav was a 'down-to-earth' lad and would 'bounce back' from today's result.
Manchester's velodrome has played a big part in the career of Cavendish, Wiggins and many other British cyclists who began their track careers there.
Mrs Joyce said the British cycling team would carry on to inspire young athletes, adding: 'The velodrome will be packed now over the next few weeks because of the Olympics. They are brilliant. We can't knock them. In our eyes they will always be champs.'

Caught short: There were bizarre scenes earliy on in the race when a dozen riders stopped by the side of the road to urinate

On their way: The cyclists race up the Mall alongside Buckingham Palace as the 250km race got going at 10am

Testing: The 134 riders from 63 countries will head out west from central London out towards Surrey as part of the 250km road race

British riders including Cavendish are caught on camera in among the peloton in the early stages of the race

Royal approval: Before the race Mark Cavendish had briefly chatted with Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall

CHINA CLAIM FIRST GOLD OF GAMES

The first gold medal of the London 2012 Olympic Games has gone to China.
Shooter Yi Siling won the women's 10-metre air rifle title this morning at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich.
The 23-year-old world number one and gold medal favourite lived up to her billing by beating Poland's Sylwia Bogacka into second.
Bogacka, 30, qualified in first place and was leading until the eighth shot, when a wayward effort condemned her to silver.
China's Yu Dan collected the bronze medal with Beijing gold medallist Katrina Emmons fourth.

He lagged behind the front group as the riders re-entered Richmond Park as the race neared its end.

But a key moment offered a ray of hope as half a dozen leaders misjudged a corner and crashed out of the race.

Cavendish had already been anointed champion in many people's eyes but earlier in the day he admitted on Twitter: 'I am nervous.'
In an event without race radio, 'the Manxman' Cavendish had been relying on the experience and ability of British road captain David Millar and Bradley Wiggins, the first British Tour winner, to ensure the leading group remained within reach.
Chris Froome, who finished second to Wiggins in the Tour, and British champion Ian Stannard completed the five-man line-up.
He said: 'Sorry to say but it's not as romantic as it sounds. It's a straight, then a right-left, then a slight downhill, bearing left, wide finish.
Isle of Man Cycling, the governing body of Manx Cycling, congratulated Mark Cavendish, who was born on the island, and his Great Britain team-mates on their effort.
Steve Shimmin, the body's director, said: 'We are incredibly proud of what Mark and all of our professional and emerging cyclists are achieving on the world stage.
'Mark's record is testimony to the incredible dedication he showed from an early age and he is a shining example to everyone on the Isle of Man of what can be achieved through hard work, but it just wasn't meant to be today.
'I'd also like to extend my best wishes to all of the Great Britain road racing team for what was a valiant effort to win the gold and to congratulate Alexander Vinokourov on his winning ride.'
Despite its population of only 85,000, the Isle of Man has produced a number of top cyclists.
Fellow Manxman Pete Kennaugh will represent Great Britain in the team pursuit on August 5.
Mr Shimmin added: 'Everyone on the island is now hoping that Pete Kennaugh can win a gold for the island and we wish him, and the Great Britain pursuit team, the best of luck.'
There is also a growing expectation that Britain’s Lizzie Armitstead, 23, will gain a medal in tomorrow’s 87-mile women’s cycling race, which has the same route but involves two – as opposed to nine – circuits of Box Hill.
The men’s and women’s road races are two of the most eagerly awaited events of the Games.
Viewing is largely free and the races come at a time of unprecedented interest in top-level cycling.

Celebrity appearance: Cavendish's colleague and Tour de France winner appeared in the Opening Ceremony last night, ringing a giant bell

Kiss for good luck: Cavendish will be able to count on the support of model girlfriend Peta Todd as he bids for Team GB gold today