Golden Monday for Team GB: Cyclist Tom Pidcock stages incredible comeback hours after eventing team retains title

29 July 2024, 14:52 | Updated: 29 July 2024, 15:48

Mountain biker Tom Pidcock has clinched gold in dramatic fashion hours after Great Britain's eventing team successfully defended their title.

Pidcock took his second consecutive Olympic mountain bike gold at the Paris Olympic games despite suffering a puncture during the race.

Pidcock's race was in danger of unravelling when he suffered a flat front tyre on the fourth of eight laps, shortly after he had taken control of the 35km race with an attack which split the pack.

Having fallen 40 seconds behind French hope Victor Koretzky, Pidcock fought his way back to reclaim the lead with a lap and a half to go.

The pair traded blows in the last couple of kilometres - dramatically touching wheels - before Pidcock burst forward to take the win.

Pidcock finished the race with a time of 1:26.22, just 0.09 seconds clear of Koretzky.

South Africa's Alan Hatherly took bronze, Pidcock's Team GB team-mate Charlie Aldridge finishing a very respectable eighth.

Read more: Tom Daley and Noah Williams win silver in men's synchronised 10m diving at Paris Olympics

It comes after Laura Collett, Tom McEwen and Ros Canter secured gold in team eventing.

The trio enjoyed a perfect opening day, chalking up record low scores for the dressage phase both as a group and for Collett individually.

The team went into the cross-country stage on Saturday incurring a total of 15.8 penalties to make it tight at the top with second-placed France.

Today saw the conclusion of the competition with the showjumping at the Chateau de Versailles.

Canter and Lordships Graffalo had one fence down before McEwen and JL Dublin delivered a clear round to put Great Britain on the brink of secure the gold medal.

It was then down to Collett on London 52 who knocked down one fence, which was good enough to seal gold.

France secured the silver medal with Japan in third with bronze.

It is the team's 5th ever gold in the event, the most of any country in the event, and the first time GB has successfully defended an Olympic eventing title since 1972.

McEwen and Collett were returners to the team that won gold in Tokyo in 2021 while Canter was a new addition.

All three competed in the individual final this afternoon with Collett securing a bronze medal while McEwen had to settle for fourth and Canter finished in 21st.

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It comes after Tom Daley and Noah Williams won silver in the men's synchronised 10m platform earlier on Monday.

Nothing could separate Great Britain and Canada in the first two rounds, with both teams tied on 105.00, but a brilliant third dive from Daley and Williams saw them gain a 4.8 point advantage over the Canadians.

From there Great Britain extended the gap over Canada, consistently placing second in their remaining rounds.

Speaking to the BBC after competing, Daley said: "This time last year deciding to come back, not knowing whether I would make the synchro team let alone qualify for a spot for the Olympics, and now to be here in Paris diving in front of my son, who's just right there, who actually asked me to come back, is just so special."

China's Hao Yang and Junjie Lian took gold in their Olympic debut, while Canada finished third.

The win makes it Daley's fifth Olympic medal as the sports star also holds one gold and three bronzes, and is the first for Williams.