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RIO DE JANEIRO -- It took Swiss mountain biker Nino Schurter eight years to climb all the way up the Olympic podium, a slow ascent that was at times frustrating, heartbreaking and infuriating.He finally reached the top step Sunday.Schurter pulled away from reigning champion Jaroslav Kulhavy of the Czech Republic on the penultimate lap and rode solo to the finish, adding a gold medal to the silver he won at the 2012 London Games and the bronze he captured at the 2008 Beijing Games.I worked hard to complete my medal collection, Schurter said. My story is now perfect.The top two steps of the podium were a reversal of the finish from London, when Kulhavy overtook his biggest rival on the final section of turns at Hadleigh Farm.Schurter broke down in tears that day, so close to achieving his Olympic dream.Now looking back on London, he said, I think it had to be silver there. I worked hard to get stronger and better and Im really happy and satisfied.Schurter and Kulhavy worked together to establish a gap on the rest of the field over the mountain bike course, turned in some places to a quagmire by overnight rain. But the Swiss superstar and reigning world champion was able to up the tempo when it mattered the most.Schurter covered the seven-lap, 34-kilometer course in 1 hour, 33 minutes, 28 seconds. Kulhavy was 50 seconds back while Carlos Coloma of Spain was another 33 seconds adrift to take bronze.This was the most important moment of my career, Coloma said. I had perfect preparation. I had self-confidence. And this is a dream come true.Five-time world champion Julien Absalon of France, who intends to retire after this season, was eighth. World road race champion Peter Sagan had two flat tires and finished out of contention.Sagan decided to ride off road in Rio after scouting the climb-heavy road course and realizing it did not suit his strengths. But the decision earlier this year meant he only had time to squeeze in a couple of mountain bike races, leaving him ranked No. 900 in the world.That also meant he started with the final bib number in the very back of the pack.Just like he did in laying waste to a small race in Wyoming a couple of weeks ago, part of his post-Tour de France training plan, Sagan immediately went to the front of the field.His power came in handy given the conditions.The rain tapered off an hour before the start left, but it left the winding, technical course in the Deodoro neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro a soggy mess. Riders had to dismount and push their bikes over a few particularly slick climbs, slipping and sliding as if they were on ice.Some riders lamented they did not adjust their setup to the conditions.My bike was the same as yesterday, Kulhavy said, but maybe it was a little bit of a mistake because I had a very fast tire in the rear and I had a problem with the muddy hills.Sagans chances ultimately were ruined when his front tire went flat at the start of the second lap. He began working his way back through the field again only for his back tire to go flat.Hardly the only rider to puncture on the stone-strewn course, Sagan finished in 35th place.The race began to string out by the third of seven laps. Schurter and Kulhavy were never more than a few feet apart, the reigning Olympic champ and world champ clearly the strongest riders in the field. Coloma hung with them for a while before slowly losing ground.Absalon was two minutes down by the sixth lap, his chances of another gold medal gone.It was about that point that Schurter finally shook Kulhavy from his rear wheel, dropping the Czech champion with some daring riding on the tricky descents. He was 44 seconds clear at the start of the final lap, all alone on a course jammed with fans.By the final straightaway, Schurter was all alone.Eight years of so many close calls had been wiped away in less than two hours, Schurter at last allowed to step to the top of the podium and hear the Swiss national anthem.Im just really happy, he said. Really satisfied with my whole medal collection.Wholesale Soccer Jerseys . First off, the fans ripped the Cubbies introduction of a fuzzy new kid-friendly mascot named "Clark". Stitched Soccer Jerseys .J. -- Seven games into a disappointing season, New York Giants defensive catalyst Jason Pierre-Paul is getting the feeling hes back. https://www.fakesoccerjerseys.com/ . PETERSBURG, Fla. Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Authentic .Y. - Free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, fresh off winning the World Series with Boston, reached agreement with the rival New York Yankees on a seven-year contract worth about $153 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday night. Cyber Monday Soccer Jerseys . - Goaltender Philippe Desrosiers of the Rimouski Oceanic has broken a shutout record that was only three months old in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.ETOBICOKE, Ontario -- River Maid staked her claim for the Sovereign Award as this years Canadian champion female sprinter with a gritty score under Gary Boulanger in Saturdays Grade 2 Bessarabian Stakes at Woodbine.The favored Midnight Miley dragged Rafael Hernandez to the lead in the seven-furlong sprint. She set moderate splits while being stalked Southern Ring, as River Maid rated kindly in fourth.River Maid ($11.90) went from the No. 2 path to the No. 4 path in the stretch over the outside-favoring surface, and then caught the leaders late to prevail by a neck. Southern Ring nosed out the wide-closing Minks Aprise for second, as Midnight Miley weakened along the rail to finish fourth in the seven-horse field. The final time was a quick 1:21.85.River Maid was stretching out off a third-place finish traveling six furlongs in the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion.Shes a hard-trying mare, said Boulanger, who was celebrating his birthday. She always shows up. She gives you everything she has. Three-quarters might have been a little short for her. Shed worked really welll going into this race.dddddddddddd She put me in a great position. When she was that close at the five-sixteenths pole, I thought I could have a big piece of it, if not all of it. She really dug in down the lane.River Maid, by the Ontario sire Wheres the Ring, earned $144,000 of the $233,200 purse for The Very Dry Stable and trainer Bob Tiller.Let It Ride Mom takes Glorious SongDaughters of the popular Spendthrift Farm stallion Into Mischief ran one-two in the $126,900 Glorious Song Stakes. Let It Ride Mom ($3.90) held off the charging 21-1 shot Sister Nation in the seven-furlong sprint for 2-year-old fillies, scoring by a half-length, in a time of 1:22.69.Rafael Hernandez rode Let It Ride Mom for Live Oak Plantation and trainer Mark Casse.Everything went good, Hernandez said. Last time, the horse got the lead, and just waited for the horses. This time, I waited more and made a big run. She finished strong today, and won the race. ' ' '