Tom Pidcock on booing and rising up to 'adversity' in mountain bike Olympic race - 'No place for that'
Updated 30/07/2024 at 09:57 GMT+1
Team GB's Tom Pidcock was involved in one of the most dramatic races so far at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as he stormed back to win mountain bike gold. Pidcock was booed as he crossed the finish line as home fans seemingly disapproved of the winning move he made on France’s Victor Koretzky. Pidcock gave Eurosport his views on the booing, and why adversity is "when the best of me comes out".
'No place for that' - Pidcock on winning move and French boos
Video credit: TNT Sports
Tom Pidcock said “there’s no place for that in the Olympics” after he was booed following his dramatic mountain biking victory.
Great Britain’s Pidcock recovered from an early puncture to storm back and defend his Olympic title.
The race went down to the wire and was decided when Pidcock went around France’s Victor Koretzky in a wooded area with 400m to go.
The pair brushed together and Koretzky was forced to brake to avoid a collision, allowing Pidcock to race clear and take gold.
The winning move did not go down well with the home crowd as Pidcock was booed when he crossed the line.
“They were booing before that,” said Pidcock with a smile in the Eurosport studio on Tuesday morning.
“I do understand, but I don’t think there’s a place for that in the Olympics.”
Pidcock had said after the race: “It's a shame, because that's not really the spirit of the Olympics.
“But I do also understand it. The French are very passionate. They wanted Victor to win, which is understandable. But, you know, they didn't boo the rock that made me puncture."
The two-time gold medallist also defended his move, saying he “didn’t do anything wrong”.
That was a view shared by Koretzky, who said: “He touched my shoes, I unclipped and I almost crashed. But it's part of racing.”
Pidcock’s win is the first time a men’s mountain biking Olympic title has been defended since France’s Julien Absalon’s victories at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.
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Paris Golden Moments: Pidcock pulls off stunning last-lap overtake to storm home
Video credit: TNT Sports
It will surely go down as one of the most memorable fightbacks of the Paris Olympics.
“When I have adversity like that, it is when I get the most out of myself, because every second counts,” added Pidcock, who a few weeks ago pulled out of the Tour de France following a positive Covid-19 test.
“That is when I feel the best of me comes out, because there is no time to waste and everything I do is perfect.”
Pidcock also revealed he didn’t know he had shaken off Koretzky with the move in the woods.
“I didn’t know I was solo. I thought I could still hear him behind me," he added.
“When I came down the finish I looked behind and he wasn’t there, but I still wasn’t sure because previously when he made a mistake and I had overtaken him…I looked behind and he wasn’t there and suddenly came past me!”
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‘It’s the Olympics, you gotta go all in’ – Pidcock unrepentant after stunning Koretzky move
Video credit: TNT Sports
While the drama of the race made for an incredible spectacle, Pidcock said neither himself nor his girlfriend found it as enjoyable.
“My girlfriend said it was the worst race she ever watched," he said. “I didn’t enjoy it that much.
"Tokyo I was in control and I was enjoying it. Yesterday I was suffering and fighting and trying to get past riders.”
Pidcock, who turned 25 on Tuesday, is also in line to start Saturday’s men’s road race, where he’ll be among the medal contenders.
There he could challenge for a third Olympic medal.
“After Tokyo I realised what the Olympics is and how much it means and how special it is,” he added.
“It meant so much to defend my title. It’s quite intense.”
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