But the heart of the book is the story of how this full-blown late Romantic grew up in semi-detached suburbia by the River Thames during the second world war, and set out from there in search of a rainbow that turned out to be made of celluloid.

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The Welsh rider clocked a time of 35.035 seconds - with eventual winner Olga Panarina of Belarus taking the rainbow jersey in 33.896 - Sandie Clair of France was second and Miriam Welte of Germany took the bronze.

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But it was still a shame the Rainbow Nation did not get the chance to cheer their side through the second round.

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