TOKYO (Dispatches) - Tom Pidcock won Great Britain’s third Olympic gold of the Tokyo Games with a dominant performance in the men’s mountain bike cross-country.
The 21-year-old from Leeds moved into the lead midway through the race and never relinquished it as he finished ahead of Swiss world number one Mathias Flueckiger and David Valero of Spain to take Britain’s first gold in the sport.
Pidcock’s win came two months after he broke a collarbone in training.
He was back on his bike six days after surgery, declaring that he would win in Tokyo.
He prepared for the soaring temperatures by training in a heated tent at home and that paid off as he handled the punishing course and conditions far better than the field, finishing 20 seconds clear.
Such was his dominance that he was able to unfurl a union jack and wave it as he crossed the finish line.