When Koretzky took the lead, the Olympic crowd—many of whom were French since the games were being hosted in Paris—was jubilant. Some of them even jeered Pidcock as he hurried to collect his gold.
The puncture had put the British rider to ninth position, but as it happened close to the pits, he could get it fixed and return to the top.
Pidcock told the BBC, tearful, “That’s racing, he left a gap and I had to go for it,” after the race. “Others may have a different perspective. I want to demonstrate the perseverance that is athletics. “It’s a shame the French were booing me, but you know.”
After winning the gold in Tokyo the previous time, the biker said it was’super great’ that his family could see him race this time.
Olympic spectators were very thrilled with what Pidcock had accomplished and called it ‘one of the most remarkable comebacks’ they had ever witnessed in cycling.
