How to watch Olympic mountain biking this Sunday & Monday

Want to watch Olympic mountain biking but not sure when it’s on and who’s racing? Here’s a brief guide to everything you basically need to know.

Women’s Cross-Country

Sunday, July 28

12:10pm (UK)

36 racers

Expected race duration: 1hr 30min – 1hr 45min (the number of laps is decided nearer the time, depending on weather etc)

Men’s Cross-Country

Monday, July 29

12:10pm (UK)

36 racers

Expected race duration: 1hr 30min – 1hr 45min (the number of laps is decided nearer the time, depending on weather etc)

How to watch it

The BBC. The racing will be on the BBC iPlayer‘s Olympics section and possibly even broadcast live on ‘proper’ telly. It will also be on Discovery+/Eurosport.

Who won last time?

Women’s podium: Jolanda Neff won the gold. Sina Frie, silver. Linda Indergand, bronze.

Men’s podium: Tom Pidcock won the gold. Mathias Flueckiger, silver. David Valero Serrano, bronze.

Who are the favourites this time?

Defending champ Jolanda Neff won’t be racing (still recovering from a respiratory problem) so that leaves Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, Haley Batten, Jenny Rissveds and Team GB’s Evie Richards.

It’s Pidders all the way. Tom Pidcock that is. The defending champ left The Tour De France midway citing Covid (hmm…) but he’s certain to be the hot favourite in Paris. Who else? Nino Schurter, Chris Blevins, Mathias Fluckiger and – on home soil – Victor Korektzy.

What’s the course like?

Paris and its environs aren’t exactly The Alps. The lack of mountainous terrain is a common issue for mountain biking in the Olympics with the Games typically being based in or around cities.

The location for the mountain biking is an old spoil heap called Élancourt Hill. The summit, such as it is, is 231 metres. The 4.4km lap contains 110 metres of elevation.

Although the course claims to be based almost entirely on existing tracks, you can expect to see the usual level of pretty wide manmade-ness to the course.

Team GB riders

Who is on team GB for Olympic mountain biking?

Men’s:
Charlie Aldridge
Tom Pidcock

Women’s:
Ella Maclean-Howell
Evie Richards

olympics.com (mountain bike events page)

Ben Haworth

Orange Switch 6er. Stif Squatcher. Schwalbe Magic Mary Purple Addix front. Maxxis DHR II 3C MaxxTerra rear. Coil fan. Ebikes are not evil. I have been a writer for nigh on 20 years, a photographer for 25 years and a mountain biker for 30 years. I have written countless magazine and website features and route guides for the UK mountain bike press, most notably for the esteemed and highly regarded Singletrackworld. Although I am a Lancastrian, I freely admit that West Yorkshire is my favourite place to ride. Rarely a week goes by without me riding and exploring the South Pennines.

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