Copacabana Beach sunbathers unfazed by Olympic cycling race
RIO DE JANEIRO — The Olympic men’s cycling road race began at 9:30 a.m. local time on Saturday morning, but just down the road from the starter’s line, you would have no idea.
There, it was just a normal Saturday morning on Copacabana Beach. Women and, yes, men in thong-style bathing suits sunbathed, tourists snapped photos in front of ornate sandcastles and debated if it was too early for a caipirinha, Brazil's national cocktail.
The race’s route — which runs along Ipanema Beach, heads up into the mountains overlooking Rio, and then descends back again to a finish in front of the sands of Copacabana Beach — guarantees stunning beauty, but at least early on Saturday, couldn’t compete with the other attractions provided by one of the most beautiful beaches on the planet.
Soccer and volleyball games had already sprung up, and souvenir sellers hawked bracelets and flip flops in front of oiled-up bodybuilders who would give Tonga’s flag-bearer a run for his money. One surfer with long, bleached-blonde hair waved off a car honking at him about jaywalking, then flashed a smile before jogging with his board to the water.
A hundred yards down the boardwalk, armed military police stood in front of large metal gates blocking off the course.
As the riders hit the 33-kilometer mark, and a breakaway group of six riders led by Poland’s Michal Kwiatkowski pulled seven minutes ahead of the pack, only a smattering of fans milled around those gates. Organizers expect the stands to fill closer to the finish, which should be around 3:00 p.m. local time.