Mountain biker Alan Hatherly won Team SA’s second medal of the 2024 Paris Olympics when he picked up bronze in the men’s cross-country race on an energy-sapping course on Monday.
Gold was won by Britain’s Tom Pidcock, with silver going to France’s Victor Koretzky. Hatherly joins Team SA’s men’s rugby squad as bronze medallists at the Games – so far.
It was cycling’s first medal for South Africa at the Games since returning from international isolation in 1992.
Pidcock roared back after suffering a puncture to retain his Olympic men’s mountain bike title. He found himself 35 seconds adrift after a front wheel puncture on the fourth of eight laps on the 4.4 km circuit at Elancourt Hill. Pidcock hit the front on lap seven and looked set to power ahead. But Koretzky and Hatherly stayed with him to set up a blockbuster final lap.
A mistake by the Frenchman allowed Pidcock to ride clear, crossing the line nine seconds ahead of Koretzky with some fans booing.
Hatherly had held the advantage after the end of the first lap, but he was passed and after two laps a group of seven, including Hatherly, had broken away from the field.
On the third lap Pidcock made his move to strike the front, while Hatherly had got back into fourth place. The South African refused to away and forced his way back into medal contention, working back into the silver medal position and looking to hunt down Koretzky who had surged his way to the lead.
Koretzky started to open up a gap on his rivals on this hot Monday afternoon and after six laps he was 17 seconds ahead of Hatherly and Pidcock, who was rallying back after the puncture. Two laps to go!
On the penutimate lap Pidcock piled the pressure on, and the Frenchman started to feel the heat. What Pidcock was doing was dragging the South African with him, and suddenly the three had the race to themselves. It seemed as though a medal was guaranteed for Hatherly, the only question being what colour.
By the last lap a blanket could be thrown over the leading three riders. However, it was Pidcock who had the leg reserve and he broke away late to take gold in 1hr 26.22sec. Koretzky held on for second and Hatherly was third in 1:26.33.
Photo: ANTON GEYSER/Team SA
SOURCED FROM THE TEAM SA WEBSITE.
