Thomas Pidcock wins the title as predicted even though he suffers a puncture. He also misses the blue, forced to make up for lost time without however managing to get a medal that he would have deserved for the values seen today.
Source: federciclismo
Thomas Pidcock wins the title as predicted even though he suffers a puncture. He also misses the blue, forced to make up for lost time without however managing to get a medal that he would have deserved for the values seen today.
PARIS - The disappointment of a fourth place contrasts with the ephemeral satisfaction of having shown, today, that he is the strongest together with the new Olympic champion, the predestined and predicted Thomas Pidcock. Luke Braidot he stops his run, in the most important race of his career, in fourth place, but he can't complain except with fate, which stopped him on the second lap. He and the Briton are the only ones of the front runners who have paid the price with luck, puncturing within a few minutes of each other.
“The disappointment is strong – he said immediately after the race – but I can't do anything about it. I tried to make up for the time lost with the puncture and even managed to get within a few seconds of the podium. But it was a very tight race right from the start, I couldn't do it. I am aware that I performed out of the ordinary, this gives me hope for the world championship... because it is right to look forward."
The CT Mirko Celestine he doesn't make any dramas, but he realizes that today a great opportunity has passed away. He had said the day before that punctures could affect the race, for Italian mountain biking it was like this: “Luca had a great race. After the puncture he maintained the right concentration and motivation, without losing heart. He did well to stay tied to Pidcock when the Briton also punctured and launched his comeback. He moved up the ranks until he was just a few seconds away from the podium. Then the tiredness from a very fast race got the better of me. Sin. Today he showed that he was in second place, because it is practically impossible to compete against the Briton."
THE RACE - The Azzurri start well, with Braidot following the leaders, Avondetto immediately after. In the first lap there was an adjustment phase with the Swiss pair setting the pace, but it was a flash in the pan. In the second lap Pidcock launches the attack while Braidot is stopped by a puncture. Only Koretzky resists him, while the rest of the group crumbles.
During the second lap the Englishman also crashes, being bounced back by a 40" and finding himself pedaling together with the Italian, who did well not to get demoralized and to stay in the race. The Frenchman takes off, followed about ten seconds by the South African Hatherly. A small group follows, about 35”, made up of Pidcock, Braidot, Flueckiger and the first in the order of arrival.
With three laps to go the Englishman opens the throttle again, leaving everyone behind except the Swiss and the Italian. While the Englishman recovers first Hatherly and then Koretzky, the blue leaves the Swiss to his fate and starts chasing the podium. With one lap to go he travels about ten seconds behind the leading trio. However, when the fight between the first and second in the order of arrival begins, the pace picks up and the challenge for the podium is reduced to the first three. Nineteenth place for Simone Avondetto, 4'30” from first.
MEN'S ELITE RANKING
| 1 | PIDCOCK Thomas |  GBR | 1:26:22 |
| 2 | KORETZKY Victor |  FRA | + 0: 09 |
| 3 | HATHERLY Alan |  RSA | + 0: 11 |
| 4 | BRAIDOT Luke |  ITA | + 0: 34 |
| 5 | FLÜCKIGER Mathias |  SUI | + 1: 20 |
| 6 | GAZE Samuel |  NZL | + 1: 41 |
| 7 | AMOS Riley |  USA | + 1: 46 |
| 8 | ALDRIDGE Charlie | GBR | + 2: 10 |
| 9 | SCHURTER Nino | SUI | + 2: 22 |
| 10 | VALERO SERRANO David |  ESP | + 2: 27 |
