Tom Pidcock yesterday won Britain's third gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, clinching victory in the men's mountain bike race less than two months after being hit by a car while training. The 21-year-old broke his collarbone and was rushed to hospital after he was crashed into at speed in the French Pyrenees in May.
Pidcock claimed Great Britain's first Olympic win in mountain biking, seizing a flag offered from a supporter on the run into the line and unfurling it as he crossed in triumph.
Flueckiger finished 20 seconds behind and took silver with David Valero Serrano (Spain) claiming bronze after coming back to a group fighting for third late.
Pidcock started well back in the field and had to sprint up to improve his position at the start, doing well to find himself of the inevitable bottlenecks that formed on the early technical sections and saw riders dismount to continue.
The talented all-rounder was positioned in a group of ten that formed out the front of the opening circuit and then on the first lap proper narrowly avoided a fall by race favourite Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands), the Dutch rider crashing in spectacular fashion on a big jump as he landed front wheel first on the jutting rock below, cartwheeling down to the bottom of the route. Pidcock was immediately behind and managed to avoid the carnage and thankfully van der Poel was able to pick himself up and continue a minute later, but his race was effectively over and he pulled out after moving up a number of spots over the next few laps, clearly in some pain.
Meanwhile, at the front of the the race, Pidcock followed the early pace set by Flueckiger and Nino Schurter (Switzerland) before putting in his first attack towards the end of the second lap.
Schurter tried his own moves, but Pidcock returned to the front with attacks on the uphill sections on lap 3.
Schurter, Anton Cooper (New Zealand), Victor Koretzky (France) and Ondrej Cink (Czech Republic) dropped away but remained in contention for the bronze medal with Flueckiger hanging tough just a few seconds behind the British rider.
The Swiss stalwart even looked like he was closing the gap at one point, but unclipped on an uphill section as he chased to Pidcock’s rear wheel on the fifth of seven laps, having to dismount and run to the top while the British rider powered away.
From there, Pidcock maintained a 20 to 30 second lead all the way to the finish, saluting the win with nationalistic pride.
Cink was the bad luck story in the battle for third, attacking clear of the riders fighting for the third and final spot on the podium but puncturing and having to watch the medals ride away from him.
Dan McConnell was Australia's only competitor in the event, finishing 30th, seven minutes and 58 seconds behind Pidcock.
