The men’s Olympic mountain bike race threw up more than a few surprises. Van der Poel crashed and Pidcock started 4th row back on the grid. The usual ...
By stwhannah
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Fantastic win!
Looks like a proper mountain bike course.
Not a farmer's field with a rocks dropped in, like was done in 2012.
It was a fantastic win. Obviously wasn't easy but he did make it look that way at times - was impressed at how smoothly he rode.
Mvdp probably ruing lack of time on the mtb to prepare. I guess it was a mistake that any could have made but maybe just one switch of discipline too much this year.
Bloody great win for Tom and what a race plus that course looks mental
Mvdp probably ruing lack of time on the mtb to prepare
Or not using a dropper?
Fantastic ride from Tom! Made a Monday morning much more bearable! 😀
Have you ever ridden the 2012 XC course? I think you're selling it short by a long way...
The story seems to be that Van der Poel thought that the wooden ramp that was in place during practice at that drop would be there for the race. Seems unlikely they would have left it there.
Hi - Before i read the spoliers, is the full race anywhere? On IPlayer? I'd like to watch the full thing if possible?
On iPlayer, but you have to switch between red button coverage to BBC one part way through. Probably listed as the 6:00-9:00 time slot.
MVP and the wooden ramp! Nope I dont see that happening. Everyone was clearing that drop in practice with out a ramp. Check out Evie Richard's Instagram for some air time.
I think he was unlucky, everyone makes errors on each lap. His was just on that drop.
Shame we didn't get the shoot out between Tom and MVP. Truly gutted for MVP and Cink.
But what a ride from Tom. Outstanding.
GCN+ has it.
Mvdp probably ruing lack of time on the mtb to prepare.
Unlike Tom, who broke his collarbone 7 weeks ago.
Awesome ride by Tom. Just brilliant.
MvDP - well I thought he turned up much later than the others- certainly the photos of him practicing seemed days later. I don't know if that was the case but seems madness to be under prepped for that track and think the ramp was to be there.
Unlike Tom, who broke his collarbone 7 weeks ago.
...and was riding again 5 days later, did ride the Les Gets World Cup, wasn't riding the biggest road grand tour 2 weeks ago and has been in Japan for 2 weeks preparing.
Its not a criticism of MvdP - it must be tough being one of the greatest multi-discipline riders of all time. Just saying that this course maybe needed that extra step up to feel really comfortable on the bike due to its technicality. Or maybe it really was just an unlucky error.
MvdP has confirmed that he didn't know the ramp was to be removed.
Gutted for him and Cink with the rolled tyre/puncture.
I'm not sure I can call what I do 'riding XC' anymore, looking at what the course is like.
think I'll need to downgrade to 'mincing about in the woods'
cracking ride by tom.
Yea, MvDP IG story says he didn't know the ramp was to be removed for the race, and that's how his crash looked, gutted for him. Bit of a booboo there somewhere either on his team's part or the course info.
absolutely nothing about it i can find on bbc i player.
you would have thought they might have been shouting about it a bit considering it's the first gold for gb mtb but seems not 😠
Brilliant news for Tom!
iPlayer:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000ybv2/olympics-day-3-red-button-04000800
Followed by:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000y9fw/olympics-day-3-olympic-breakfast
There's now a real chance that Ineos may win gold in MTB, road and TT if Ganna does what he normally does.
There’s now a real chance that Ineos may win gold in MTB, road and TT if Ganna does what he normally does
Hadn't thought about that one! Brilliant ride from TP
utterly fantastic, what a ride!
Fantastic ride from Tom, really well timed, just seemed to know exactly what he was doing, although the commentary on eurosport was shocking, 3 min advert while they were on the second lap, they wouldn't have an advert half way through england v italy first half would they
Bit of a booboo there somewhere either on his team’s part or the course info.
Probably why his team came out quite strongly saying 'we told him, repeatedly, that the plank wasn't there' etc. etc.
absolutely nothing about it i can find on bbc i player.
Admittedly not Iplayer, but https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/57967799 - from the front page of BBC News...admittedly not the whole race, but seems to be plenty coverage of the result.
Awesome race, brutal course. Tom is on another level to pretty much everyone else. That kid is going places!
I thought the commentary wasn't great. Disappointed Eurosport went for the world feed, and not their own 'in house' commentators. Seeing as GMBN, is part of GCN, surely some of them would have been better.
The difference in presentation between the road races, and the MTB was noticeable......
MVDP allegedly beleived the ladder/wood from practise would remain in the race. Although he was easily clearing it in practise.
Was this a bit of CX style gamesmanship, electing to slow up and roll it rather than jump it knowing that he had top contender and excellent descender TP right on his wheel?
"Tom Pidcock took the gold in his second ever Olympics, while Schurter failed to get a medal for the first time in four Olympic cycles."
Erm when was Pidcock's first Olympics?
Great work Tom and big ups for the UK XC racing crowd.
The difference in presentation between the road races, and the MTB was noticeable……
C'mon the camera work was brilliant for fans of Japanese foliage.
What a ride though, the course was mental
Pidcock showing how its done. That drop wouldn't be out of place on an enduro course
No mention of MTB or TP whatsoever last night on BBC 1 when they went through "Monday's medal prospects". Really suggested that they hadn't done any homework on what was happening in XCO this year.
Wonder if they'll suddenly remember Evie exists in tonight's roundup?
Probably why his team came out quite strongly saying ‘we told him, repeatedly, that the plank wasn’t there’ etc. etc.
Interesting. Do you have a link?
That was a XC course!?
Jeez, I'm old. And a wuss.
There are conflicting versions of events coming out of the Dutch camp, however, reflecting the confusion that reigned supreme during the women's road race, as Dutch coach Gerben de Knegt told national broadcaster NOS that Van der Poel had been told several times the ramp would be removed for the race.
“I was in the woods when it happened, so it's hard for me to judge. He indicated that he thought there would be a ramp. We've talked about that several times, so it shouldn't be [the reason]," De Knegt said.
Dutch National Coach Gerben de Knegt had a different version of events, however, saying he'd spoken to Van der Poel about the removal of the ramp in the week leading up to the race as well as the morning before the event. "We have talked about it multiple times this week. This morning again."
Pidcock showing how its done. That drop wouldn’t be out of place on an enduro course
if thats a screenshot of TP following MVDP rather than a subsequent lap, then its also a good reminder that doing dropoffs you should be centred, giving you the ability to move back or forwards to adjust in the air (like someone crashes below you, when you have already taken off)
Erm when was Pidcock’s first Olympics?
2nd this. Pretty certain this was Piddcock's first olypics.
Well done, another gold 😀
Now comes all the inquiries from people looking for short travel carbon hardtails.
Don't follow racing at all but what size wheels do they go for and do they use droppers?
All on FS and most with droppers according to this article. Assuming they'll all be 29ers...
That course was ace, proper techy sections
Does anyone have a link to show the various bikes the riders were riding. I've seen some sites with generic info but nothing specific about who and what (I know it's the rider, not the bike, that wins the race but interested nonetheless)
Will nearly all (or in fact all) be on 29 for the Men. Might be a few women on 27.5, not many though these days.
Most use droppers too.
Jeez, I’m old. And a wuss.
No you have a functioning self-preservation gene and an (overactive?) imagination.
Takes a Brit to nail a proper XC course. 😁 Tom you absolute beauty
Yeah bit disappointing coverage, but the other Tom has been doing his thing for a long time so guess he’s going to get the front pages. Even if MVDP had stayed upright Pidock was always going to win this, he’s the better mtbr, both going to have great careers.
Great race and disappointing for MVDP, Cink and the other contenders. Had my money on Tom. Also great to note this is more about the rider than the bike. I’m sure it’s an Ineos sponsorship thing but BMC are not shouting about his Fourstroke win. It also looks like he rode without a remote LO for his fork and shock. He’s super light so could probably get away with full sus’, fully open for 7 laps!
Great ride and great course.
Well done chap.
Best breakfast viewing in a long time. Congratulations Tom.
I’m sure it’s an Ineos sponsorship thing but BMC are not shouting about his Fourstroke win.
BMC is odd in that they dont have a "BMC team" as much as I can tell (or if they do, they dont have any top riders), but quite a few teams use BMC bikes quite openly (like absoluteabsalonBMC).
I've never actually seen one in real life, but think they are big in Europe. Are they just a smaller brand happy to have the "frame supplier" role rather than running a pro team?
It also looks like he rode without a remote LO for his fork and shock. He’s super light so could probably get away with full sus’, fully open for 7 laps!
or...
shimano athlete I think, could he be on a prototype shi-wireless set up?
Will nearly all (or in fact all) be on 29 for the Men
Yep, even little Tom uses 29" which is why he looked like he borrowed his dads bike. The wheels look massive as they do on a lot of female riders.
which is why he looked like he borrowed his dads bike.
you've almost certainly been riding since before I was born... is that your genuine opinion that his bike looks too big for him?
Because I think he looks pretty much ideal on it. Looking at old clips of tiny rigid bikes where the bars are over the fornt axle look ridiculous to me.
Leconte looks like the bike is too big for her, but I think that is the bar height rather than the wheel size.
BMC are a great brand my point was that they haven’t called out Tom’s bike for the specific reason it may be a contractural either with Ineos or Pinarello. BMC have posted pics of all of their other Olympic bikes… but not the one that won Gold which feels strange. They used to be imported into, the UK, by Evans Cycles and we can see why that ended. My LBS can get hold off them. I’d love the frame only option but looks to be a supply shortage across Europe?
It also looks like he rode without a remote LO for his fork and shock. He’s super light so could probably get away with full sus’, fully open for 7 laps!
The Fourstrokes I've seen a from a few years ago had the operation of the unique integrated dropper linked to the rear shock control. I seem to remember that when the dropper was in the up position the shock ran firm (or maybe reduced travel..or combination of both)- then when the dropper was activated the shock opened up its full capability. The two being linked by a cable, so activated by a single dropper remote lever on the left. Quite an unusual way to do it but makes sense if assuming one only wants plushness on the tech bits, and efficiency everywhere else. Not sure if there was any linking with the fork in Pidcocks case, but that is also possible on a few models to link with the same single lever.
What an amazing course. Makes you realise just how rubbish the London course was.
Have you ridden the London 2012 course? It's actually pretty nails considering how close to London it was built. I still have a scar from an off on the boulder garden.
Article on that there Pinkbike site on Tom's bike setup is implying that SR Suntour may be developing an electronically controlled lockout system for the fork, information is sketchy but they're saying you can see an electronic cable from the fork disappearing into the frame. My suspicion is that as above the rider control of the whole system of dropper/shock/fork is linked to operate in unison and responds to a single simple left hand lever operation...so dropper up equals firm, and as soon as dropper lowered then shocks fully open. All three parts could be linked by electronic wire instead of by cable pull...and possibly include some sort of Fox Live Valve alike accelerometer varied damping. This sort of system could certainly contribute to how smooth and controlled Pidcock looked on that circuit, no faffing with multi levers just flick between on/off for tech sections, rider concentrating on flow.
Inspiring ride. Up there with some of the most dominant controlled rides I can remember seeing from a British rider in any discipline.
@endoverend Thanks for the update. It would be great to have an electronic lockout. A simple flick on and off, with settings to lock front/rear independently. Cannondale used to have an ELO set up. I wonder what happened to that? On a side note, I haven't been aware of Suntour kit. Anybody else have a view on them performance, quality or price vs Fox or Rockshox
Wasn’t the MVDP crash on the 4th lap (or did I read that wrong somewhere else).
I'm ready to take my STW user reward now for total internet guesswork/ quasi soothsaying...BikeRumour Pidcocks XCO bike
They're still not releasing full details awaiting patents, but definitely a system that performed well. Must be a battery smuggled somewhere, plus still reckon it could be linked to dropper action.