Pro Log: All the cycling action from the Olympics so far

Cyclist
Pro Log: All the cycling action from the Olympics so far

Welcome back to another edition of Pro Log. We’re only a few days into the Olympics but the events have been coming thick and fast for cycling, with medals already dished out in time-trials and mountain biking.

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Tom Pidcock win XC MTB gold

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot has finally added an Olympic gold medal to her glistening palmarès after dominating the women’s mountain bike race. The Frenchwoman began to distance her competitors on the second lap and soon built an insurmountable gap, winning by almost three minutes and roared on by a home crowd.

This is her last Olympic mountain bike race as she is reportedly switching her focus to the road with a view to racing the Tour de France Femmes in 2025.  

Behind Ferrand-Prévot, the United States’ Haley Batten took home the silver medal while Jenny Rissveds of Sweden claimed bronze. It was a tough fourth place for the Netherlands’ Puck Pieterse, who had long been riding in the silver medal position until a puncture dashed her medal hopes. Great Britain’s Evie Richards finished fifth.  

French rider Loana Lecomte crashed heavily on a downhill section and was knocked unconscious as her bike landed on top of her. It was later reported that she had regained consciousness and was taken off the course on a stretcher. A spokesperson for Team France said she suffered concussion and facial trauma but it ‘would not be serious in the end’.

In the men’s event, Great Britain’s Tom Pidcock successfully defended his Olympic title. It was a thrilling race that saw the 24-year-old puncture out of the leading group, emerge in ninth spot and and ride his way back into contention.

He saw off a strong challenge from home favourite Victor Koretsky and the two came together on the final lap. The trees in the middle of the course diverged the racing line in two, with Pidcock taking the left side and Koretsky the right. Pidcock came out in front and the two made contact but neither went down.

Pidcock won gold as the crowd booed. This quickly turned to cheers when Koretsky came home for silver. South Africa’s Alan Hatherly completed the podium.

Grace Brown time-trials to victory, Anna Henderson wins silver  

On the slippery roads of Paris, Australia’s Grace Brown would set a blistering pace on her way to a gold medal in the women’s time-trial. Many riders crashed along the 32.4km route, with Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky hitting the ground and the American Taylor Knibb coming down three times.

Great Britain’s Anna Henderson stayed upright and won the silver medal. Bronze went to the United States’ Chloe Dygert, who lost a bit of time owing to a fall on a slippery corner.

Speaking after winning her silver medal, Henderson said, ‘I burst into tears when I found out I was second. I can’t stop smiling. I’m over the moon.’

This is Brown’s final season as a professional, the FDJ-Suez rider having announced in June her plan to retire at the end of the 2024 season.

Remco Evenepoel wins men’s time-trial

In the men’s time-trial, Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel sped to victory. This comes after securing a podium in the Tour de France and taking an individual time-trial stage win.

Evenepoel, who has won National, European and World Championships in the time-trial, unseated Italian Filippo Ganna at the top of the standings to take the Olympic gold medal.

Ganna held on to second to claim the silver medal as Belgian Wout van Aert finished third for the bronze. It was heartbreak for Great Britain’s Josh Tarling who looked to be on track for a podium position before a front-wheel puncture damaged his hopes. He finished fourth overall, just two seconds behind Van Aert.

See you next week.

The post Pro Log: All the cycling action from the Olympics so far appeared first on Cyclist.