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London - South Africa's lone competitor in the men's cycling road race, Daryl Impey, finished 40th at the London Olympic Games on Saturday.
Impey, who was among 109 riders to finish the 250km race, crossed the line in five hours, 46 minutes, 37 seconds (5:46.37).
"I tried to ride a clever race and gambled a bit on the finish," Impey said after the race.
"I wanted it to come to a bunch sprint, but it never happened."
Alexander Vinokourov of Kazakhstan won the gold medal in 5:45.57, outsprinting Rigoberto Uran of Colombia who finished in the same time.
Norwegian Alexander Kristoff clinched the bronze medal, holding off a large chasing group in 5:46.05.
Alexander Vinokourov of Kazakhstan won the gold medal in 5:45.57, outsprinting Rigoberto Uran of Colombia who finished in the same time.
Norwegian Alexander Kristoff clinched the bronze medal, holding off a large chasing group in 5:46.05.
Vinokourov was part of a 32-man group that the British team failed to rein in on the way back to central London from Box Hill.
Britain, brimming with confidence before the event, controlled the race all day but it proved too much of an effort for the four men who were looking to bring Cavendish home.
A leading group of 32 riders took shape in the last of nine ascents of Box Hill and Britain did not have enough energy left to rein them in.
Tour de France runner-up Chris Froome dropped out with about 30 kilometres remaining, leaving Cavendish with only three team mates.
It was then Tour champion Bradley Wiggins's turn to drop out exhausted.
David Millar took massive turns in front of the peloton as the gap floated around the minute.
Cavendish finished 29th, 40 seconds behind Vinokourov.
Swiss Fabian Cancellara, one of the strong men in the leading group, missed a turn and crashed into the safety barriers. He crossed the finish line 5:43 off the pace with a an apparent wrist injury.
The crash split the group up and Uran and Vinokourov pulled away to contest a two-man sprint, which the Kazakh, who was supended for two years in 2007 for blood doping, easily won.
Vinokourov announced he quit professional cycling after crashing out of the Tour de France last year, but could not resist the urge to get back on the bike.
