Korea's Kim Eu-ro finishes 65th in men's cycling road race

Korean cyclist Kim Eu-ro finished in 65th place in the men’s cycling road race at the Paris Olympics Saturday, completing the grueling 273-kilometers route in 6 hours, 39 minutes and 27 seconds.

Kim Eu-ro of Korea pedals during the men's road cycling event at the Paris Olympics in Paris, France on Saturday. [AP/YONHAP]

Korean cyclist Kim Eu-ro finished in 65th place in the men’s cycling road race at the Paris Olympics Saturday, completing the grueling 273-kilometers route in 6 hours, 39 minutes and 27 seconds.

A total of 90 riders competed in the race, which left Trocadero in central Paris to circle the French countryside before arriving back in the capital for two laps of an 18.4-kilometer circuit that includes a steep climb up the 6.5 percent gradient Montmarte. The total course includes 2,800 meters of elevation gain, making for a particularly difficult Olympic race.

Remco Evenepoel of Beligum took gold after finishing the race in 6 hours, 19 minutes and 34 seconds, with France’s Valentin Madouas claiming silver and countryman Christophe Laporte taking bronze.

Cycling has been a sport at every Summer Olympics since the inaugural 1896 Olympics, but Korea has never medaled.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]