British Cyclist Tom Pidcock Overcomes Puncture to Claim Olympic Gold
In what's set to be remembered as one of the most epic moments in British Olympic history, cyclist Tom Pidcock bagged a gold medal in cross country mountain biking, despite a puncture that should have ended his chances of defending his title.
The 25-year-old, who also won gold three years ago in Tokyo — becoming the first Briton to do so — was leading the pack when, on lap four of eight, he sustained a puncture that saw him drop out of contention.
‘You get used to things going well, so even my mechanic wasn't prepared for it,’ Pidcock told BBC Sport. Fortunately, Pidcock's team managed a lightning-fast repair job. ‘He did a super-fast change; in the end, my bike was perfect.‘
The delay left the Leeds native 36 seconds behind leader Victor Koretzky, but Pidcock fought his way back up the rankings, and by the final lap, he had caught up with his host nation rival, Frenchman Koretzky.
The two athletes went head-to-head, and after some brief contact, Pidcock managed to edge out Koretzky, demonstrating his incredible handling skills and stamina to secure the top spot and his second Olympic gold. ‘The Olympics are so special; you never give up, you give everything, and that's what I had to do.’
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