Great Britain's Rachel Morris was awarded bronze in the women's H1-3 road race at Brands Hatch after crossing the line holding hands with team-mate Karen Darke in an apparent bid to share the medal.
Morris and Darke finished one minute 34 seconds behind Marianna Davis of the United States, who added road race gold to her time-trial victory on Wednesday, and despite their best efforts to finish together and share bronze, Morris placed third in a photo finish.
Monica Bascio, another American, was second, 33 seconds behind, before the British duo rode towards the final place on the podium at the end of the 48-kilometre race.
"We wanted it together, we crossed the line with our hands together," Darke, who won time-trial silver on Wednesday, told Channel Four.
Morris said: "We worked so hard together."
The 33-year-old from Guildford won time-trial gold in Beijing, but was injured and had her bike written off in an accident with a car in July which left her place in London in doubt. She was fifth in the time-trial on Wednesday.
Morris added: "I've not had the best lead-in to this Games. This bronze medal means more than gold. It just means everything."
It was the British cycling team's 21st medal of the Games, taking the team past the 20 they won in 2008.
Ireland's Mark Rohan won his second event of the Games with victory in the men's H1 road race.
Rohan finished two seconds ahead of Tobias Frankhauser, with Wolfgang Schattauer of Austria third.