Er the race has started on Discovery/Eurosport whilst BBC are still chatting rubbish!
BBC2, they got to the start literally as the horn blew.
I had both on, BBC is quite a bit behind.
Big Charlie Aldridge looking good. Pidcock with a soft start as usual, never seems to go all out from the blocks, rather builds into his race pace.
I'm watching on bbc2.
Is anyone on a hardtail that we've seen? Tends to work better for the slighter/smaller women, be surprising to see any today.
Also inteesting that the course designers have made the tech zone option slightly shorter than the course - hence the drama with Haley Batten yesterday... Shouldn't the 'pit lane' always be fractioanlly slower than staying out!
Aldridge got a great start. TP in about 11th at the moment.
Erm throwing a T Bog in the olympics! Wow!
Thank god for iPlayer and being the only one in the office today!
How does anyone go down that big drop-off with a bottle in their mouth, without losing their front teeth?
There’s not a lot of headroom into that tunnel!!!
Because I prefer the commentators on Discovery that why.
Fair enough - neither great for me so the adverts is the casting vote
To see it on discovery I went to the Paris 2024 menu and it was showing Mountain Biking Live
Ah, thanks - I've been looking at their usual road & mtb pages
At least with the Discovery commentators they actually know who the riders are and how well they have been doing this season.
I think the drone footage has been a game changer for this sort of event.
So which way round are they? BBC has Pidcock at the front, Discovery says it's Aldridge....
So which way round are they? BBC has Pidcock at the front, Discovery says it’s Aldridge….
Not sure the coverage is entirely 100% live, the different feeds seem to have different delays.
I'm currently (on BBC2) 25 mins into the race and it's 13.35 UK time now. Pidcock in 2nd.
BBC 2 on iPlayer seems about a minute or so behind the broadcast version.
I've flicked back and forth a little and Ric and Oli are far, far preferable to the BBC coverage!
WTF?! BBC2 just said "right, that's it for coverage, swap to BBC1 to carry on watching" and now we're back into Olympics intro shite.
Flat for pidcock!
AarrrrrrGggghhhh - iplayer has just died!!!!!
Slow pit stop. I did wonder why Puck Pieterse team didn't use a drill for her wheel removal yesterday.
Come on BBC. If you are going to switch channels, make it seamless. So we miss Pidcock having a problem so that we can watch some adverts. Fantastic broadcasting!
Off to bbc1
For a crap intro cartoon and a crap chat from a presenter while we missed all the sudden drama.
This front group has some big, big hitters now. This is gonna get good.
and it's back....
Ouch, What a crap place to get a flat just as he rolls up to the big-ish drop off.
He will be fuming with the pit crew.... Are they Ineos Grenadiers staff, or Team GB Staff?
Charie Aldridge is hanging on, having a great ride.
Was it a flat before the drop, or was it that he got chopped on the inside into it and then punctured on the landing? The replay showed what looked like a fairly nasty move by Koretzky...
Flat before the drop.
3 laps to go, TP up into 3rd at +36"
Pidders with the bit between his teeth now - seems like a big ask to pull back nearly 40secs in 3 laps but if anyone can it's him!
Down to 25 seconds behind
This is gonna come together, Pidcock is leading that little group back on. Shame Charlie has dropped off the back now.
He can see Hatherly now - won't be long until he's caught.
That said, I would not be disappointed if Koretzky won this, he's done a flawless ride and a Frenchy winning on home soil would be great for the crowd.
Koretzky rolling some of the jumps now suggests he may be flagging a little.
TP up to 2nd? The man's an absolute machine!
Turns out I CAN descend like Nino!
I can't help that feel that, although Koretzky has ridden a really good ride, had TP not punctured he wouldn't be in the lead...
They're averaging a fraction over 24kph (15mph)!
That's the sort of speed I average on a steady road ride. Bonkers.
@thepurist we've all been there with the tripod of doom!
I think base on Ninos socials this week he's just enjoying the tail end of his career, happy and proud to be there. Well earned.
Come on Tommmmm, jesus he is catching up like the terminator. I hope he's got something left for the finish.
Got him... Come on Tom.
Hatherley has quite a good sprint if I recall, hes a fair bit bigger than TP.
Race: ON!
How many matches have they all got left?! Tom must've burned a few bring back the gap, but Victor isn't looking great - Hatherly the dark horse?
YES TOM!
Tom looks on fire, Koretzky might be broken here. He was shaking his head.
what the actual F is happening!
What a rider, he is flying. A joy to watch.
This is brilliant. All 3 are still in contention.
nothing boring here
The games are starting at the bottom of the first climb! all 3 together for final lap! Wow
Go on Evie!
Which outcome then?
Koretzky demoralised having seen TP puncture then fight back right up to the wheel...
TP blown to bits after his fight back...
?
Hatherly might yet get this. Hiding at the back, taking his own line.
He can't drop 'em, can he? Oof it's tight
He's really trying to ride VK off the wheel but he's stuck like glue!
WHAAAATTT!!!!!
Eek!
Wow Koretzky, massive effort. Super Human that!
This is mental
The Speed! Holy Crap!
Christ this is tense!!
The way they're taking those descents!
OOfffff
WTF
What a ride
Ooh that was close. I can see a complaint coming about that one
Yesss!!!
What a race!