Team GB add second Olympics gold as Tom Pidcock claims victory in epic mountain bike final

Tom Pidcock won Team GB's second gold medal of the day at the Paris Olympics, triumphing during an epic mountain bike battle on Elancourt Hill.

The reigning Olympic champion was forced to recover from a puncture he picked up on the third lap, where he dropped from first position to eighth.

Pidcock, who turns 25 tomorrow, regained his spot with the leading pack to set-up a finish for the ages.

The lead continued to change hands, with Pidcock battling against French rider Victor Koretzky.

The drama lasted up until the final few hundred metres of the race when the two cyclists came into close contact while going around a corner.

Pidcock was the rider who came out on top though, keeping his cool to edge out in front, before crossing the line in first place moments later to a chorus of boos from the home crowd.

It was a troubled build-up to the Games for Pidcock, who was forced to abandon the Tour de France earlier this month after contracting Covid-19.

Speaking to the BBC after the race, an emotional Pidcock commented: "It wasn't easy... I'm keeping my glasses on for a reason.

"I think the Olympics is so special... you never give up and you have to give everything, that's what I had to do."

On the incident that saw the leading pair touch wheels, Pidcock said: "I knew that Victor was going to be super fast on the last lap, even if I couldn't get rid of him, so I knew it was going to be a big big fight.

"But he left a gap and I had to go for it. But that's racing, some people might view it differently. But I want to show what sport is, not giving up. It's a shame the French were booing me, but you know."

It came amid a flurry of medals for Team GB on day three of the Games.

Tom Daley and Noah Williams kicked things off in the morning, with the diving duo finishing second behind Chinese pair Junjie Lian and Hao Yang in the 10m synchronised platform.

Things got even better for Team GB just minutes later, when the eventing team, made up of Tom McEwen, Laura Collett and Ros Canter, took gold at the spectacular Palace of Versailles.

There would be more medals on horseback later on in the day, with Collett adding to her team gold with a bronze in the individual event.

She became the first British woman to win a medal in the individual eventing since Kristina Cook in 2008.

There could be yet more medal success for Team GB on this marvellous Monday, with Matt Richards and Duncan Scott set to feature in the men's 200m freestyle final.

Whereas over at the Bercy Arena, Team GB have their eyes on success in the men's team gymnastics final.