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France fans’ boos and bottle throwing not in Olympic spirit, says Tom Pidcock after brilliant gold
Tom Pidcock said French fans booing him was not “really the spirit of the Olympics” after he sensationally beat home rider Victor Koretzky to Olympic mountain bike gold.
He might have labelled the course “bland” but the manner in which Pidcock retained his title at Élancourt Hill was anything but.
The 24-year-old successfully defended the title he won in Tokyo three years ago in the most dramatic fashion imaginable, coming back from a mid-race puncture to win with a pass on Koretzky on virtually the final corner.
The Leeds-born rider, who had trailed by 40 seconds after his puncture on lap four of eight, streaked away to win, but he was showered with boos by the partisan home crowds as he crossed the line. One fan even threw a water bottle at him as he clasped his hands to his face in a mixture of relief and celebration.
Asked about the booing, Pidcock, who celebrates his 25th birthday on Tuesday and has hopes of a medal in the road race on Saturday, said: “The boos are a shame because that’s not really the spirit of the Olympics. But I do understand that the French are very passionate, they wanted Victor to win. That was understandable. They didn’t boo the rock that made me puncture.”
It was unclear whether the spectators were more upset by Pidcock’s move on Koretzky – which saw him dart left around a tree, sneaking ahead of the Frenchman, who then nearly clipped him as they came back together – or simply by the fact their man lost.
The International Cycling Union, cycling’s governing body, reviewed the incident afterwards and saw nothing wrong with it. Stephen Park, British Cycling’s performance director, described the pass as “tough, rough but great sport”.
Pidcock certainly felt no need to apologise. “I wasn’t worried,” he said when asked whether he had feared a protest. “I didn’t do anything wrong. I was in front [when they came back together]. He left the door open. We were racing for a gold medal. I wanted to win as much as he did.”
He added: “He could have also gone left, and I would have gone right. In this position, you don’t hesitate. The gap was there and I was going for it.”
The boos continued after the race, with some heard as Pidock received the gold medal during the podium ceremony.
After God Save The King rang out across Élancourt Hill, a defiant La Marseillaise rang out from the French fans, though it should be noted that many French fans also cheered the Briton, shouting ‘Pidcock, Pidock’ as he made his way through the media mixed zone.
Pidcock was hugely emotional after the race, embracing his girlfriend Bethany and parents Giles and Sonja for what seemed an age.
“I am keeping my glasses on for a reason,” he told the BBC. “I think the Olympics is so special and...you never give up so you give everything, that’s what I had to do.”
'I'm keeping my glasses on for a reason!' 🥺
Look what it meant to @TeamGB's Tom Pidcock ❤️#BBCOlympics #Olympics #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/9wq6OzZhf1— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 29, 2024
Just as Josh Tarling had to in Saturday’s men’s time trial, Pidcock had to come back from a mid-race front puncture – which dropped him behind leaders Koretzky and South African Alan Hatherly. But unlike Tarling, he had the time to do something about it.
There were questions about the speed with which Pidcock’s pit crew changed his wheel. But there were no questions about the way Pidcock responded to the setback.
Riding maturely, the Ineos Grenadiers rider who had to abandon the recent Tour de France with Covid, set about closing the gap, moving through the field until at last he had caught back up to the leaders.
As they started the eighth and last lap he, Koretzky and Hatherly were locked together. Koretzky was the first to make his move midway through the lap but again Pidcock did not panic, overhauling his rival with a few turns remaining with an attack down the left which almost forced contact.
How on EARTH 🤯
Tom Pidcock punctured his tyre. He slipped to ninth. He's somehow won a gold medal for Team GB 🙌 Beast.#Paris2024 #Olympics #BBCOlympics pic.twitter.com/5oHHn95eAa— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 29, 2024
Pidcock then streaked away to win by nine seconds from Koretzky who held off the game Hatherly. The second Briton in the race, Charlie Aldridge, finished eighth.
It was a sensational race and it remains to be seen whether Pidcock will defend his title again in Los Angeles. Ineos owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is desperate to win the Tour de France again and the big outstanding question about Pidcock – who in his short career has already won world titles in cyclo-cross and mountain bike, Olympic titles in mountain bike, as well as the Queen stage of the Tour de France – is whether he can ever challenge for the yellow jersey should he decide to focus solely on the road.
For now, he will simply enjoy surely the most dramatic win of his entire career on the eve of his 25th birthday, before turning attentions to this weekend’s men’s road race where he will head full of confidence.
Pidcock defends Olympic title despite puncture: As it happened
03:27 PM BST
Medal table
China: 5 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze
Australia: 4 gold, 3 silver
Japan: 4 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze
Republic of Korea: 4 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze
USA: 3 gold, 6 silver, 3 bronze
France: 3 gold, 5 silver, 2 bronze
Great Britain: 2 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze
Germany: 2 gold
03:24 PM BST
Tom Pidcock speaking to the BBC
It was not easy. I am keeping my glasses on for a reason. The Olympics is so special, you never give up, you give everything, and that is what I had to do.
I knew that Victor was going to be fast in the last lap even if I couldn’t get rid of him. I knew it was going to be a big fight, and he left a gap and I had to take it. That’s racing. I know people might view it differently but sport is about not giving up. It is a shame that the French were booing me but you know.
On celebrating with family this time:
It is super nice that they are all here. I haven’t actually seen anyone yet apart from my girlfriend. I need to go and find them.
On the puncture:
You are all used to things going well so even my mechanic wasn’t ready for it. He did a super fast change in the end, my bike was perfect apart from my mistake of puncturing. I can’t thank everyone enough. From being on tour and then Covid too, everyone was around me and we trained perfectly for this.
03:22 PM BST
Emotional Pidcock
“One of the longest hugs I’ve ever seen as Pidcock went over to his family after the medal ceremony. This one meant a lot. Crowd were singing Marseillaise after God Save the King. A few more boos during the British anthem but very few. Stephen Park says the move was “tough, rough but great sport” and UCI commissioner reviewed it and was happy.
“Pidcock on this weekend’s road race: “There’s no pressure for me in the road race. I said all along that this was my priority. But of course I owe it to my teammates to turn up in good condition.”
03:18 PM BST
Back-to-back
D🥇UBLE 🥇LYMPIC CHAMP!
Tom Pidcock has done it!!! #Paris2024 | #MountainBike pic.twitter.com/nGqpzjviTJ— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) July 29, 2024
03:14 PM BST
Early birthday present!
Pidcock turns 25 tomorrow so I think you would say that is the perfect gift!
03:12 PM BST
Double success
Ineos Grenadiers’ Pauline Ferrand-Prévot won the women’s event yesterday and now Pidcock has won today. Back-to-back wins!
Yes @tompidcock, you've just won Gold at #Paris2024!!!!! pic.twitter.com/utxXFStcHe
— INEOS Grenadiers (@INEOSGrenadiers) July 29, 2024
03:11 PM BST
Sums it up
Ineos Grenadiers posted this on X with one lap remaining and I think it sums up the feeling pretty well.
FINAL LAP AND TOM IS BACK AT THE FRONT!!!!!!!!#Paris2024 #MountainBike pic.twitter.com/83Ktgsi9po
— INEOS Grenadiers (@INEOSGrenadiers) July 29, 2024
03:08 PM BST
What a ride!
03:06 PM BST
Medal ceremony
South Africa’s Alan Hatherly is awarded his bronze medal.
The crowd roar as Victor Koretzky of France is given his silver medal.
Tom Pidcock takes his place on the top step of the podium, three years on from doing it in Tokyo. With the team Equestrian Eventing medal ceremony still to come, this is the first time God Save The King has rung out at the Paris Olympics.
03:03 PM BST
Gold stands
“Just double checked with Stephen Park, the performance director of British Cycling, who confirmed to me that the late incident has been reviewed and there is no protest. Medal ceremony about to start.”
02:57 PM BST
Another medal for Team GB
Like London buses, they are coming left, right and centre. Laura Collett has taken bronze in the individual eventing. Follow all the latest reaction here.
02:55 PM BST
This is what it means
02:54 PM BST
Silver for Koretzky
02:52 PM BST
Stunning comeback
No-one else in that field could have done what Tom Pidcock did, recovering from the puncture to take gold.
Leader. Puncture. Chase. Champion.
Simply stunning ride from Tom Pidcock!#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/YnyzCulCEX— Team GB (@TeamGB) July 29, 2024
02:50 PM BST
Final top 10
Tom Pidcock (Great Britain) 1hr 26mins 22secs
Victor Koretzky (France) +9secs
Alan Hatherly (South Africa) +11secs
Luca Braidot (Italy) +34secs
Mathias Flueckiger (Switzerland) +1mins 20secs
Samuel Gaze (New Zealand) +1mins 41secs
Riley Amos (USA) +1mins 46secs
Charlie Aldridge (Great Britain) +2mins 10 secs
Nino Schurter (Switzerland) +2mins 22secs
David Valero Serrano (Spain) +2mins 27secs
02:43 PM BST
Second gold
In the last couple of hours, Team GB have secured their first two gold medals of the 2024 Paris Olympics. First it was the Equestrian Eventing team, who defended their title from Tokyo. Now Tom Pidcock has repeated the feat. Inredible.
02:41 PM BST
Dramatic to say the least
“What a race. Crowd boo Pidcock as he crosses the line. Not sure whether that is an objection to his late move on their man or simply because he denied a French rider gold. But that was some comeback. Unbelievably dramatic.”
02:40 PM BST
What a race!
An Olympic comeback for the AGES! 🤯
Tom Pidcock DEFENDS his title🥇
Speechless. pic.twitter.com/OR1LjzZU4z— Team GB (@TeamGB) July 29, 2024
02:36 PM BST
Pidcock wins gold!
To a chorus of boos from the French crowd, the reigning champion defends his crown and takes gold. Koretzky is seconds, nine seconds behind Pidcock. Hatherly takes the bronze medal, just a couple of seconds behind Koretzky. What an incredible finish that was and what a ride that was from Tom Pidcock to win after losing more than 30 seconds with the wheel change.
02:36 PM BST
Almost a crash!
Pidcock attacks down the left and they are so close to taking each other out. Pidcock races past and takes the lead. Surely he is going to win it now...
02:35 PM BST
Pidcock fighting back
Pidcock has reeled him in and gone past. Koretzky then comes back past on Pidcock’s left. This is tense as Koretzky retakes the lead.
02:33 PM BST
Lap eight- split two
Koretzky attacks as we hit the second split and has built a gap to Pidcock. Can the defending champion respond? Hatherly has been dropped.
02:30 PM BST
Lap eight- split one
With a Frenchman in this lead group the noise is deafening! Pidcock is trying to pile the pressure on Koretzky and Hatherly. None of three go through the feed zone so they are all focused on the finish.
They are all still together, with Pidcock first, Koretzky second and Hatherly third.
02:26 PM BST
End of lap seven
Pidcock does not go through the feed zone so he does not need any water. He means business!
Hatherly has done a great job to catch back up to Pidcock and Koretzky.
Here we go, last lap!
02:22 PM BST
Pidcock attacks
Not long after Pidcock reaches Koretzky, at the second split, he attacks. Hatherly cannot respond but Koretzky is holding onto the defending champion.
02:22 PM BST
Lap seven- split two
Pidcock and Hatherly have joined Koretzky at the front of the race. This is why Pidcock won this event in Tokyo and why he was favourite going into this race. No-one else could have suffered that mechanical problem and been able to make up that gap.
“We saw the young Dutch racer Puck Pieterse suffer a puncture from second spot in yesterday’s women’s race, drop back and she narrowly failed to come back and claim a podium. Pidcock has showed his class here. He did not panic, rode with maturity and shut down a deficit which stood at one stage at 40sec. One lingering question is whether the covid he suffered at the Tour will affect his legs in these final minutes.”
02:20 PM BST
Lap seven- split one
What a ride this has been from Pidcock. He lost more than 30 seconds with that wheel change and has therefore had to work so hard to bring down the gap. He is just five seconds now behind Koretzky, with Hatherly just holding onto Pidcock’s wheel.
02:15 PM BST
End of lap six
Pidcock has caught up to Hatherly and they are 17 seconds behind Koretzky. Two laps left so time for Pidcock to close the gap to the Frenchman. Aldridge is back in sixth, 43 seconds off the lead.
02:11 PM BST
Lap six- split two
Hatherly is still around 15 seconds behind Koretzky with Pidcock, Flueckiger and Braidot now just 25 seconds off the lead.
02:09 PM BST
Lap six- split one
Aldridge has begun to drop off as Pidcock is chasing hard trying to reel in the top two. The gap between Koretzky and Hatherly is holding at around 14 seconds. Pidcock is starting to bring the gap down as it dips below 30 seconds. Switzerland’s Flueckiger is staying with Pidcock.
02:04 PM BST
End of lap five
The home supporters are loving seeing their man in the lead. His lead over Hatherly with three laps remaining is 13 seconds. Pidcock comes over the line with Aldridge a couple back in fifth. They are 36 seconds off the lead.
“Watching replays of that Pidcock wheel change and it looks as if his pit crew were not ready for him. He lost a load of time riding in on soft tyres and it then took them maybe 10sec to locate a wheel before they even switched it. There will be questions asked.”
02:01 PM BST
Lap five- split two
Koretzky is now starting to gradually grow out his lead. Pidcock has caught to the Aldridge group and is still nearly 40 seconds behind the leader.
01:59 PM BST
Lap five- split one
Koretzky has slightly increased his lead back to Hatherly to 13 seconds. The next trio are 30 seconds off the lead with Pidcock in another small group behind that. He has lost a little time over the last couple of kilometres as he is nearly 40 seconds behind Koretzky. Pidcock has got his work cut out.
01:54 PM BST
End of lap four
Koretzky has the lead at the halfway mark and he is 10 seconds ahead of Hatherly, with the gap remaining stable. Aldridge is in a three-man group behind, 20 seconds behind off the leader. Pidcock is on the charge and is in sixth, 34 seconds off the lead.
01:50 PM BST
Lap four- split two
Koretzky has a nine-second lead over South African Hatherly. Aldridge is fourth. Pidcock is 38 seconds behind the leader.
01:48 PM BST
Problem for Pidcock
Drama! Pidcock has had a puncture and had to change his front wheel in the technical zone. He is now down in ninth, 36 seconds behind on this fourth lap. A lot of work to do to make up the time but he seemed ultra calm when the wheel was being changed. No sense of panic from the defending champion. It means Frenchman Koretzky has the lead on his own.
“Shades of Josh Tarling here with that front wheel puncture. Looks as if it happened before the drop and he unclipped. Pidcock dealt with that very professionally. Still a long way to go.”
01:43 PM BST
End of lap three
Koretzky has managed to react and has closed the gap on Pidcock. They come across the line at the end of the third lap together and they have a significant gap back to Flueckiger, who has been distanced. The gap back the chasing group, which includes Aldridge, is 12 seconds.
01:38 PM BST
Lap three- split two
Pidcock is stepping up the pace! He has taken the lead and we are starting to see the top three begin to move away. Pidcock is moving away from Flueckiger and Koretzky.
01:36 PM BST
Lap three- split one
It is still quite bunched up at the front but it is slowly starting to stretch out. Pidcock is in second behind Flueckiger. Aldridge has moved himself up into sixth.
01:32 PM BST
End of lap two
Flueckiger, Koretzky and then Pidcock come across the line at the end of the second lap. Aldridge is in 10th. Six laps remaining.
01:29 PM BST
Lap two- split two
Flueckiger leads from France’s Victor Koretzky and then Pidcock. We currently have a train of riders.
Ede-Karoly Molnar of Romania has had a problem with his rear tyre but as his team take a look at the bike he is at least able to see the funny side of it. He also has an incredible moustache.
01:26 PM BST
Lap two- split one
Pidcock has moved up into third as gaps are just starting to form in this lead group that came across the line pretty much all together at the end of the first lap. Mathias Flueckiger is our current leader. Aldridge has dropped back a little to ninth. The riders desperate to get water on board as they come through the feed/ technical zone and pouring it on themselves as it is hot in Paris.
“I’m told the GB cycling team, who are staying in their own accommodation away from the Olympic village, all watched Tom Daley’s diving with their breakfast this morning to get in the mood. Clearly young Charlie Aldridge had his Weetabix. Great start from the 23-year-old who is a former junior and U23 world champion. To be fair, Evie Richards said after her race yesterday that it wasn’t just Tom Pidcock she was expecting great things from today.”
01:22 PM BST
End of first lap
Hatherly and Aldridge come across the line together as the first two as the top 14 are close together but then there is a gap. Pidcock just four seconds behind the lead duo. Aldridge had built a small gap on the descent but the lead group come across the line together.
01:19 PM BST
Lap one- split two
Hatherly leads Riley Amos of the USA from Aldridge. Pidcock is up to 11th, eight seconds behind Hatherly. No need to worry about Pidcock down in 11th at the moment as he likes to build into his ride.
01:16 PM BST
Lap one- split one
Alan Hatherly of South Africa is our current leader with Aldridge in third. Pidcock is in 12th, just over ten seconds behind the leader.
01:10 PM BST
Off we go
The green light shows and we are under way. Team GB also have Charlie Aldridge in this race.
01:10 PM BST
Early birthday present?
Tom Pidcock turns 25 tomorrow so can he defend his Olympic title this afternoon?
“Former Swiss TT machine Fabian Cancellara is here on behalf of IOC. Just asked him about the chances of his countryman Nino Schurter, arguably the greatest mountain bike rider of all time with 17 world titles, if a little long in the tooth at 38. “If Tom is ready then it’s hard,” Cancellara conceded. “But you never know.”
01:07 PM BST
Double for Ineos Grenadiers?
Yesterday Pauline Ferrand-Prévot won the women’s event and she is on the Ineos Grenadiers books as is Tom Pidcock so will the team be celebrating double success?
The riders are all at the start line and when Pidcock’s name is announced, he receives a good reception.
“Tom Pidcock waiting in the holding zone, white towel around his neck, wearing an ice vest. He has someone holding an umbrella for him, F1 driver-style, to shield him from the sun. T-5mins. This is it.”
12:59 PM BST
Current medal table
After Team GB won their first medal in the eventing, here is what the medal table looks like:
China: 5 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze
Japan: 4 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze
Republic of Korea: 4 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze
Australia: 4 gold, 2 silver
USA: 3 gold, 6 silver, 3 bronze
France: 3 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze
Great Britain: 1 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze
Italy: 1 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze
12:48 PM BST
Women’s event
The women took on this course yesterday as home favourite Pauline Ferrand-Prévot dominated to win the gold medal for France. GB’s Evie Richards finished fifth but there was serious concern for Ferrand-Prévot’s teammate Loana Lecomte, who escaped injury after an horrific crash. Tom Cary has the full story from Paris.
12:44 PM BST
Gold medal alert!
Team GB have their first gold medal of the 2024 Paris Olympics as they secure back-to-back Olympic titles in the Equestrian Eventing. You can follow all the reaction to that gold with our blog here.
Our first GOLD!🥇
Massive congratulations to Laura Collett & London 52, Rosalind Canter & Lordships Graffalo, Tom McEwen & JL Dublin 🏇#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/ALpFM7w2eK— Team GB (@TeamGB) July 29, 2024
12:41 PM BST
Pidcock favourite
“I’m back at the mountain bike venue in Élancourt Hill, 25 miles southwest of Paris. It’s a bit hotter than yesterday with the mercury supposed to be nudging 30C by 3pm CET when the men’s cross country mountain bike will be finishing up. Can Tom Pidcock defend his Tokyo title? He is certainly the big favourite. The 24-year-old is the reigning world and Olympic champion. And while he does not have much time to indulge his MTB passion given his road commitments with Ineos Grenadiers, he has still made this race the big focus of his year. Pidcock has ridden two World Cup races this season, in Nové Město and Crans-Montana, and won both of them. Barring accident or misfortune, most people here expect him to win. The race gets under way at 1.10pm UK time.”
12:32 PM BST
Pidcock aiming to defend title
Good afternoon and welcome to coverage of the Men’s Cross-Country Mountain Bike race. Great Britain’s Tom Pidcock is looking to defend his crown after winning gold in Tokyo and is the heavy favourite to retain his title this afternoon. However, the reigning champion has been left unimpressed by the course, after completing a recon of the it in Élancourt Hill, 25 miles west of Paris.
“It’s gravel,” Pidcock said on a media call on Friday morning when asked for his thoughts on the course. “It’s not the best course in the world but it’s the same for everyone. It’s bland. I think they could have done a better job of making a more mountain-bike course.”
“We ride what we are given. [But] we love mountain bike for a reason. It’s what drives us. We enjoy it for what it is and that’s the courses you get to ride and places you get to go.
“If you just gravel over a nice hillside it’s not really mountain bike. There’s not much thinking that goes into it. It’s one line and you go down there.”
The 4.4km main circuit, which has 110 metres of elevation gain, crosses the highest point in the Paris area, offering views in the distance of the Eiffel Tower. Organisers say it consists of groomed gravel paths, a technical rock garden, twisting terrain and one challenging climb, which is bypassed on the opening 2.2km lap. The riders will complete eight laps of the course, with a total race distance of 35.2km.
It has not been the smoothest of build-ups for Pidcock, having had to withdraw from the Tour de France earlier this month after contracting Covid.
“I’m fine. It was always the plan to finish the Tour so I was six days positive, not that that should be the indicator now. I was quite sick. After a stage it would make it worse so we made the decision that it was better I stopped.
“But I’m in a good place now. I’m happy with where I am. I recovered well. I think I can be pretty content with how my recovery went. The plan was always to finish the tour. Getting sick was not part of the plan and I had to adapt to that.”
Team GB also have Charlie Aldridge in this race.
The action gets under way at 13.10 (BST).
