If you didn’t/haven’t tuned in to the 2024 Olympic mountain bike races, a) you’re totally missing out; and b) there’s still time to watch them on replay. I ended up subscribing to Peacock for Olympic viewing purposes (they do have a sort-of-deal for students, teachers, first responders and misc others), but other less-obvious ways to re-view events abound on the internet.
SPOILER ALERT: I’m going to talk about the finishes of both the women’s and men’s MTB races. Come back here after watching if you’re concerned about this.
The women’s and men’s races were held on the same course, one day apart (Sunday and Monday). The women did seven laps of about 2.5 miles, the men eight.
In both races there were the usual technical problems– flats, other bike issues. Some were minor enough to for racers to rejoin. But South African Candace Lille’s rear wheel broke in two places. She was out.
In the women’s race, there was no doubt early on who would win. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (FRA) finished almost three minutes ahead of the second and third-place riders. The men’s race was another story, with the top two riders– Pidcock (GBR) and Victor Korestsky (FRA) trading back and forth through the last lap, with Alan Hatherly (RSA) coming in third.
Most riders in both races chose dual suspension bikes with a little more travel in the front fork (110–120mm). Women’s race winner Pauline Ferrand-Prevot opted for a specially designed Pinarello hardtail, while men’s race winner Tom Pidcock rode Pinarello’s full-suspension rig.
In both races, podium competitors flatted– Tom Pidcock in lap three and Hailey Batten (USA) in lap four. When the women’s chase group (behind Ferrand Prevot) went through the pit/feed zone, Jenny Rissveds (SWE), 2016 Olympic gold medalist, yelled to Batten’s pit crew, “Hailey flatted!” Very good sportsmanship there, as the pit crew could be ready when Batten arrived (running with her bike).
The women’s race, however, offered some major suspense for the silver and bronze medals. Batten and Rissveds were neck-and-neck (or rather, fork-in-fork), trading places until just before the finish, when Batten pushed ahead and finished second to Rissved’s third.
But wait, I’m not done yet. The biggest difference I found between the women’s and men’s Olympic MTB races was in what happened next– hugging. Lots and lots of hugging. Notably, Batten and Rissveds, who hugged each other for a long time at the finish.
Not to be left out just because she finished so far ahead of them, Pauline came over to join in the hugging.
I might add that the hugging wasn’t limited to podium finishers. As pretty much every rider rolled across the finish line, someone (prominently Jenny, but others too) was there to congratulate them with a warm embrace, celebrating their participation in the sport.
I wish I could show you pictures of the men’s race finishers hugging each other at the finish line. But I can’t. Because there wasn’t any. Hugging, that is.
Yes, the men’s race was a nail-biter to the very end for the gold medal. But the women’s race was a nail-biter for silver and bronze. And what about hugging all the other finishers, letting them know that they are appreciated? All I can say is, didn’t happen.
One more shout-out for women’s MTB racing goes to Canadian MTB, the cycling magazine. In their coverage of the women’s race, not only do they feature the top finishers, they devote a paragraph and big photo to 18-year-old Isabella Holmgren of Orillia, Ontario, who made her Olympic debut and finished a creditable 17th. I’m sure she got a hug, too. You can read more about all of these champions below.
So readers, did you see the race? What sport are you paying most attention to? Any favorites? Who do you think deserves a big Olympic hug? We’d love to hear from you.
