BEIJING — Samuel Sanchez of Spain has taken the gold medal in the Olympic cycling men's road race.

Davide Rebellin of Italy won the silver on his 37th birthday and Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland the bronze. The three were among a group of six who sprinted for victory.

A total of 143 competitors from 54 countries left the start line in central Beijing for Saturday's 245.4-kilometer (152.5-mile) race that took them past Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and other landmarks before they rode out of the city for seven punishing laps of a hilly loop course between two points on the Great Wall.