ELANCOURT, France, July 29 (Reuters) – Britain’s Tom Pidcock showcased his extraordinary resilience and skill, overcoming a puncture to successfully defend his Olympic men’s mountain bike title in a dramatic contest with France’s Victor Koretzky on Monday.
The 24-year-old world champion demonstrated his renowned bike handling abilities, recovering from a 40-second deficit to ultimately outpace Koretzky in a riveting final-lap duel through the challenging 4.4km Elancourt Hill circuit.
As the two athletes navigated a narrow descent wheel-to-wheel, Pidcock took a bolder line through the trees, causing a near-collision that disrupted Koretzky’s momentum. This decisive move allowed Pidcock to surge ahead, securing a nine-second victory in an epic race. Despite his triumph, the partisan French crowd expressed their disappointment with boos as he crossed the finish line.
South Africa’s Alan Hatherly claimed the bronze, marking the country’s first Olympic cycling medal since their re-admission.
“It’s unfortunate about the boos because it goes against the Olympic spirit, but I understand the French crowd’s passion,” Pidcock remarked, visibly exhausted from the race run in sweltering conditions. Reflecting on his puncture in the fourth lap, he added, “But they didn’t boo the rock that caused my puncture.”
Discussing the pivotal last-lap maneuver, Pidcock asserted, “I did nothing wrong. He could have also gone left around the tree, and I would have had to go right. In this situation, you don’t hesitate. The gap was there, so I took it.”
The previous day’s women’s race saw a dominant victory by France’s Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, igniting extensive celebrations from the home crowd. On Monday, around 15,000 fans gathered under the sun near Versailles, anticipating more French success. However, Pidcock’s performance dashed those hopes.
“When he came back, I knew I could beat him because he had exerted a lot of effort to close the gap. Unfortunately, I was a little careless in the descent,” Koretzky said. “He is very strong and a great champion, but I believe I could have won today.”
Pidcock, who withdrew from this year’s Tour de France due to COVID, launched an aggressive attack on the third lap, with only Koretzky managing to keep pace. Disaster struck for the Yorkshireman when a puncture forced him to pit for a wheel change, during which he calmly sipped water while mechanics hurriedly worked.
Rejoining the race significantly behind, Pidcock remained composed and steadily reduced the gap. By the seventh lap, he had reclaimed the lead with Koretzky showing signs of fatigue. However, Koretzky and Hatherly stayed close as they approached the final tumultuous lap.
A massive cheer erupted when Koretzky initiated an attack, momentarily distancing Pidcock. Yet, the British rider responded with determination, making his bold move through the trees that ultimately secured his victory.