The 1992 Barcelona Olympics boasted of several superstar Olympians, among them the U.S. Dream Team and American boxer Oscar Dela Hoya. But a carpenter from Britain grabbed his share of the spotlight by unexpectedly winning a gold medal in cycling with his "Superbike".
Chris Boardman was a 23-year-old out-of-work Englishman when he arrived in Barcelona hardly a favorite to win the gold in the 4000m individual pursuit. In fact, he himself didn’t think he would win anything. But armed with an innovative design for his bike, one that maximized speed and reduced air resistance, Boardman shocked the entire Olympic community by beating world champion Jens Lehmann of Germany in the final. His bike was called the uni-axle, but after he won the gold, it became better known as the Lotus Superbike and the Windcheetah.
Boardman competed in the Atlanta Olympics, but chose not to defend his Olympic title. He instead tried his luck in the individual time trial, where he managed to win the bronze medal.
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