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Richie Porte's Olympics are over, spoiled by broken bones sustained in a road race crash that has ultimately ruined the Australian star's hopes in two events and landed him in a Rio hospital.
Fifth in last month's Tour de France, Porte was well in medal contention before he fell foul on a descent with 35 kilometres remaining on a high difficulty course on the opening day of Olympic competition.
Initially left grimacing and shaking his head, Porte was later taken from the course in an ambulance and admitted to hospital with a damaged collarbone and additional possible breaks to his ribs.
He knew immediately he would be unfit to ride Wednesday's time trial, which leaves Rohan Dennis – who strategically pulled out of Saturday's road race early to preserve himself – as Australia's sole representative after qualifying two spots.
"Richie actually made the joke as he was laying there in the gutter…in a lot of pain, 'Macca', he said, 'I don't think I'm in for the time trial'," Australian coach Brad McGee said on the finish line that only one man from the starting green and gold quartet crossed.
"It looks like the collarbone is done, maybe something around his ribs. But he didn't lose consciousness. He's in good spirits but obviously in a lot of pain and we'll have to check him out. There are definitely a few breaks in there somewhere."
Belgium's Greg van Avermaet won gold, pipping Dane Jakob Fuglsang and Poland's Rafal Majka, who raced off the front all day, taking bronze.
Of the Australian quartet that began the seriously taxing and technical 237.5km race, only fairytale entrant Simon Clarke remains.The Victorian won a late call-up for his Olympic debut after Simon Gerrans crashed and broke his collarbone in the Tour de France.
Mountain biker Scott Bowden, who will race again Sunday week, pulled out around the same time as Dennis; a move that McGee planned once the pair helped Clarke with the grunt work to support Porte.
Earlier in the day Porte was forced to stop twice on cobblestone sections with mechanical problems.
The Rio road course has troubled the very best, with Chris Froome requiring a bike change earlier in racing. A pre-race favourite for gold, Froome finished well back in the field.