In the first six Olympic cycling events, all the champions were either Soviets or East Germans. That's why it was refreshing to see Dan Frost of Denmark on top of the podium after the 50 kilometer points race.

Not that Frost, 27, is an unknown face. The 1986 world amateur points champion, he also took the bronze in 1985 and was sixth last year.

Frost and Leo Peelen of Holland formed a sea level alliance early on that put them into field lapping moves three times. Forty-three laps in (of 150 total) they were part of a 10 man group that took a circuit. On lap 69, they did it again with Argentinean Juan Curuchet and American Frankie Andreu. And then, with 54 laps to go, they seized yet another lap.

While Andreu scored in eight sprints, he missed the crucial first breakaway. Only five of the 24 starters outpointed him, but after getting lapped, he finished eighth.

Frost said, "At half race, we [he and Peelen] were a lap ahead. Then I felt kind of sure that I would win because the Dutchman was too slow to beat me in the sprints."

The 50 kilometers were covered in 59:58, an average of more than 30 m.p.h.