updated 5:03 p.m. ET Aug. 18, 2004

VOULIAGMENI, Greece - Dede Barry of the United States won the silver medal in the women’s road time trial Wednesday, the first cycling medal claimed by an American in these Olympic Games.

Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel of the Netherlands, who suffered hip and shoulder injuries in a fall late in Sunday’s road race, successfully defended her gold medal by covering the 14.9-mile course in 31 minutes, 11.53 seconds.

Barry was 24.09 seconds back. Switzerland’s Karin Thuerig won the bronze, edging fourth-place finisher Christine Thorburn of the United States by 19.93 seconds.

“I’m ecstatic,” said Barry, an alternate on the 1996 and 2000 Olympic teams. “The last 10 minutes, waiting to see what would happen, were a little stressful. But I’m so happy. Everything worked out. It’s such a great feeling.”

Barry was 15 seconds faster at the race’s midway point than any of the riders who went out before her, a sizable margin considering the top-ranked time trialer in the world — Mirjam Melchers of the Netherlands — was among those who preceded Barry onto the course.

Only van Moorsel, the best women’s cyclist in the world, was up to Barry’s challenge.

“Anytime van Moorsel gets on her time trial bike, she’s the favorite,” U.S. women’s road cycling coach Jim Miller said.

Barry matched the silver won by Mari Holden in the Sydney time trial four years ago. It’s only the fourth road medal ever won by an American woman’s Olympic cyclist.

“I had great legs out there,” Barry said. “I had a lot of confidence going in. My preparation was really good. For me, this is a dream come true. I just tried to attack today and have the best ride I could. I’m so happy to have come out with a medal.”

Doctors originally thought van Moorsel’s Olympic quest — she won three golds in Sydney and sought to defend all three in Athens — ended in the Sunday crash where she clipped the wheel of another rider and fell hard to the pavement.

“After my crash, I thought it was over,” van Moorsel said. “I didn’t want to end my career in a bad way.”

She didn’t. With her trademark strong finish Wednesday, she easily overcame Barry’s split times and won her fourth career gold.  She’ll try for a fifth Saturday at the velodrome in the women’s individual pursuit, which she says will be her last race.

Riders went off at 90-second intervals, with those expected to be the strongest medal contenders starting toward the end of the 25-woman pack. Thorburn was the eighth woman to start; Barry went off 16th.

Thorburn — who earned her Olympic spot by winning the U.S. national time trial championship in June — had the eighth-best split in the field at the halfway point, and just kept getting stronger as the race went along.

“I’m happy with my effort,” Thorburn said. “It was pretty warm, but there was a little breeze. That helped a little bit.”

The 29.8-mile men’s time trial was later Wednesday, with American medal hopefuls Tyler Hamilton and Bobby Julich in the field along with defending gold medalist Viatcheslav Ekimov of Russia and this year’s gold favorite, Jan Ullrich of Germany.

Neither gold medalist from the men’s and women’s road races — Italy’s Paolo Bettini and Australia’s Sara Carrigan — entered the time trial fields, though Bettini certainly would have been a medal contender.

For Barry, the day was perfect. With Greek blood running through her veins — her grandfather lived just north of Athens — and buoyed by a cheering section filled with Greek cousins, she became only the fourth American woman to win an Olympic road medal.

She came to Athens this time last year, just to see the course and begin the dream. And the loss felt better than any win.

“It’s not easy to win races. You’re a loser more than you are a winner,” Barry said, fingers twirling the ribbon latched onto her silver medal. “I’m pretty happy with this one.”

A two-time Olympic alternate who retired in 2000 then returned in part because the lure of Athens was so strong, Barry crossed the finish line with the fastest time — yet knew eight other women were still on the course. Only van Moorsel could better her time.

“I’m so happy,” said Barry, who plans to retire after this season so she and her husband, Canadian cyclist Michael Barry, can start a family. “Everything worked out. It’s such a great feeling.”

Cycling - Women's Individual Road Time Trial (medals: Aug. 18th) Medal Athlete Country Result Gold Leontien Zijlaard van Moorsel Netherlands 31:11.53 Silver Deirdre Demet-Barry United States 31:35.62 Bronze Karin Thuerig Switzerland 31:54.89 NBCO: Schedules, preliminary result and complete final results

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