Mountain Bike 2024 Paris Olympics Review

Men’s Event 

It was a busy start led by Riley Amos (United States). By the end of the first lap, Alan Hatherly (South Africa) crossed first but fourteen riders remained within six seconds. Lap two saw Mathias Fluckiger (Switzerland) leading with the same fourteen riders separated by nine seconds. On lap three, Tom Pidcock (Great Britain) launched an attack chased by Fluckiger and Victor Koretzky (France), with Koretzky successfully bridging the gap as the pair led by 12 seconds from Fluckiger, Hatherly and Charlie Aldridge (Great Britain). A front puncture cost Pidcock and at the following time check, he was 38 seconds behind. At halfway, Koretzky led Hatherly by ten seconds with Fluckiger and Aldridge joined by Samuel Gaze (New Zealand) twenty seconds behind. By the end of lap five, it was a group of six seemingly battling for bronze as Luca Braidot (Italy) had joined the aforementioned. Pidcock launched an attack which Fluckiger and Braidot would attempt to follow and by the end of the lap, Pidcock was back with Hatherly. The Brit dragged Hatherly with him to catch Koretzky. Once together as a trio, he attacked again and Koretzky managed to just about hold on but by the bell, Hatherly was back with the pair of leaders. Pidcock attempted to attack on the second climb but instead, it was Koretzky, the fresher man who attacked and got a little gap. The pair exchanged places with the Frenchman looking stronger. Pidcock took an aggressive line on the inside and the two almost tangled but Pidcock stayed on his bike and win an incredible gold. 

🥇Tom Pidcock 🇬🇧

🥈Victor Koretzky 🇫🇷

🥉Alan Hatherly 🇿🇦

 

Prediction analysis; 2 Medalists correct, 1 perfect prediction. 

I thought Pidcock would win but during the race, I lost faith in that prediction. Koretzky was better than expected, with possibly not enough weight given to course form. Hatherly looked dangerous all race and perhaps his recent form was ignored over historically strong competitors. Fluckiger never really looked like contending. Riley Amos and Charlie Aldridge were youngsters that impressed.

Women’s Event 

Martina Berta (Italy) was quickest off the line but soon both of the French ladies took turns at the front. At the first split, it was Laura Stigger (Australia) who led Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (France) and Loana Lecomte (France). By the second split, Lecomte led with Puck Pieterse (Netherlands) and Ferrand-Prevot the chasers. Those four went clear with Lecomte leading at the end of the first lap. It was a typically aggressive second lap from Ferrand-Prevot as she pulled away on a climb and by the end of the lap had a gap of 29 seconds from Pieterse who herself led Lecomte by six seconds. The gap back to the group of chasers was eighteen seconds. By the end of lap four, the gap behind Ferrand-Prevot had only increased, while Pieterse had dropped Lecomte who was joined in a group with Jenny Rissveds (Sweden) and Stigger. A fall from Lecomte towards the end of the fourth lap took her out of the race. By the end of the fifth lap, the race had changed complexion. Ferrand Prevot had only furthered her gap but a flat tyre had cost Pietrese and she had to switch her tyre leaving her behind Rissveds, Stigger, Haley Batten (United States) and Alessandra Keller (Switzerland). With a lap to go, the gold medal seemed to be in the grasp of Ferrand Prevot. Behind her, Batten and Rissveds had opened a gap up ahead of Keller and Evie Richards (Great Britain). Soon Richards was joined by Pieterse but the pair in front were far enough ahead and Batten had put a small attack in that gave her enough of a gap over Rissveds as she crossed the line almost three minutes behind the Frenchwoman but five seconds ahead of Rissveds. 

🥇Pauline Ferrand-Prevot 🇫🇷

🥈Haley Batten 🇺🇸

🥉Jenny Rissveds 🇸🇪

Prediction analysis; 1 Medalists correct, 1 perfect prediction. 

This prediction felt correct for gold very early. Ferrand-Prevot pulled away and no one looked like catching her. Pietrese looked like the second best rider and I am quite confident that without the puncture, she would have got second. Lecomte was beginning to struggle when she fell. Rissveds was mentioned as a contender for the podium whilst Batten caused a bit of a shock