Rio 2016: Russian drug cheat celebrates winning time trial gold only to discover she had been beaten

Russia's Olga Zabelinskaya believed she had won the women's time trial only to be beaten by 42-year-old American Kristin Armstrong

Russian cyclist Olga Zabelinskaya celebrated winning Olympic gold in the women’s road race, lees than a year after returning from an 18-month doping ban. The only problem though was that the Russian cyclist hadn’t actually won gold.

As New Zealand’s Linda Villumsen crossed the line to set the provisional fifth-fastest time, 36-year-old Zabelinskaya raised her arms in the air with a broad smile on her face, clearly in anticipation that the gold medal would soon be around her neck.

Having won bronze in both the women’s time trial and road race at the London 2012 Olympics, it appeared that Zabelinskaya had gone two better and won gold, in what would have been a hugely controversial victory in Rio de Janeiro.

However, Zabelinskaya appeared to forget that 42-year-old American Kristin Armstrong, who celebrates her birthday on Thursday, was still to finish the course. Having set the fastest time through the first checkpoint – despite suffering a nosebleed from her exertions – Armstrong looked like she was closing in on a third consecutive time trial Olympic gold, having won in both Beijing in 2008 and London four years ago.

As she approached the line, Zabelinskaya was still celebrating, only to see the American break the beam and beat her by 5.55 seconds to secure a narrow victory.

Russia's Olga Zabelinskaya believed she had won the women's road race only to finish second (BBC)

Zabelinskaya’s smile soon disappeared and she was forced to vacate the provisional leader’s throne, although it was Ellen van Dijk who was the more inconsoleable after she missed out on a medal altogether after veering of the road at low speed on one of the course’s difficult climbs.

Cycling journalist Michael Hutchinson summed up the mood surrounding a possible victory for Zabelinskaya on Twitter, writing: “As if it wasn't sweet enough, Zabelinskaya had already started celebrating when Armstrong came flying into the finishing straight.”

After missing the 2004 Olympics due to having a baby and retireing from 2006 until 2009 to miss Beijing 2008, Zabelinskaya won a double-bronze in London before testing positive for octopamine in July 2014. She accepted an 18-month ban in February of this year, although by not competing it was deemed that she had already served her time and was free to resume competing.

The Russian Cycling Federation cleared her of any wrongdoing in December 2015, leading to the UCI appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport before reaching an agreement of an 18-month ban to drop the appeal.

Olga Zabelinskaya during the women's time trial at the Rio Olympic Games (Getty)

Had she received a two-year ban, Zabelinskaya would have only become eligible for selection last month and may not have been included in the Olympic squad, while there is also the IOC’s decision not to impose a blanket ban on Russian athletes from the Rio Games to take into consideration, given that she is a cyclist with a record of doping yet was allowed to compete.