Australia's Sara Carrigan upstaged the favourites to win the women's Olympic road race on Sunday and Germany's world number two Judith Arndt took the silver medal.

Russia's Olga Slyusareva beat Australia's Oenone Wood and Britain's Nicole Cooke in a sprint finish for the bronze medal but Dutch world number one Mirjam Melchers faded to sixth.

Defending champion Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel, also of the Netherlands, crashed out with two laps to race.

She staggered to the side of the road clutching her head and needed medical attention but was not thought to be seriously injured.

France's former Olympic champion Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli, competing at her sixth edition of the Games at the age of 45, never figured among the leaders but finished in the pack.