On day four of the Olympic Games, the team returned to Elancourt Hill for the Men’s Mountain Bike race. The Durango duo of Christopher Blevins (Durango, Colo.; Specialized Factory Racing) and Riley Amos (Durango, Colo.; Trek Factory Racing) lined up at the start with 34 other athletes representing 28 countries from around the world. The course took riders up and over the highest point in Paris for eight laps, racing just over 35-kilometers in total.
The start of this race was critical, making Amos and Blevins' early call-ups ideal. As soon as the race began, Amos pulled out front earning the hole shot. He settled in and stayed at the front end for the remainder of the race. After lap one, a group formed with 14 riders, and both Americans were still in the race. Blevins and Amos actively looked for spots to move up through the group, but the pack split apart after Tom Pidcock (GBR) attacked on lap two. Victor Koretzky (FRA) was the only rider who could match the reigning Olympic Champion’s pace.
On the fourth lap, Pidcock front-flatted 36 minutes into the race, and Koretzky was on his own while the group chased him down. When Pidcock jumped back into the group, Amos was right on his wheel, both sitting in the top 10. By lap five, Koretzky had a 12-second lead on Alan Hatherly (RSA), then it was 30-seconds back to the chase group. Pidcock and Amos caught on to the group which made it a battle for bronze between the six men unless they bridged the gap. 58 minutes into the race, Pidcock pushed the pace of that group and split it up as he chased down gold. The only ones to stay with him were Luca Braidot (ITA) and Mathias Flueckiger (SUI). One by one, Pidcock chipped away at the field, making his way up to Hatherly. The group of two were gaining on Koretzky.
As they approached the tail end of the race, Pidcock and Hatherly made the connection, and all three riders stayed together until the last technical section of the course. That’s where Pidcock and Koretzky were neck and neck. Pidcock attacked to get around Koretzky through the woods, coming so close that the French rider had to put a foot out, a move that ultimately decided the race. Pidcock rode into the finish, earning back-to-back golds for Great Britain. Koretzky took second, and Hatherly rounded out the podium in third.
Amos, Team USA’s top finisher, completed his day in seventh marking the best men’s Olympic Mountain Bike result of all time. When Amos was told about this monumental accomplishment, he was speechless. Finally, when he could put it all into words he said, “Honestly, I was just so excited to cross the finish line. I don't think I felt any emotions until that last lap. It was just such a perfect race. The first two laps were hectic. I felt good and tried to control my effort because I knew it would be a long race and I would pay for it. I got swarmed hard in the first two laps. It was so aggressive.”
Amos has been competing in the Under-23 category at many of the big races this season. Today’s race was his first chance to battle against the Elites. “It was a really good intro into racing with the big guys. At the same time, I proved I am competitive, and anything can happen on race day at the Olympics,” said Amos.
After a race that was riddled with mechanicals and crashes, Blevins endured it all to finish in 13th. When asked about what happened during his race he said, “My pacing was good. I was really sticking to my strategy, just hanging in that group. I knew I needed to just hide from the front as much as I could but be ready to make the split when it counted. I noticed my tire was low coming through the feed zone and decided to change it... I also had some suspension issues so it kind of derailed the plan. I tried to stay in the rhythm but unfortunately fell out of it a bit. I did my best the last couple of laps.”
Blevins bettered his results from Tokyo where he earned 14th. “Giving everything at the Olympics is the goal and I think I accomplished that. Obviously, I am a bit disappointed to not be able to fight for a better position, but that’s the sport. Everybody goes through it. You just have to appreciate the opportunity. I know I’ll be back,” said Blevins.
Both riders hail from Durango, Colorado carrying forward the town’s prominent Olympic legacy. They joined the ranks of the Olympic Mountain Bikers that came before them – Travis Brown (’00), Todd Wells (’04, ’08, ’12), and Howard Grotts (’16) – marking the Paris Olympics as the seventh consecutive Games in which a male cyclist from Durango has competed. The best men’s mountain bike result until today came from Amos’ mentor Todd Wells who finished 10th at the London 2012 Games.
1. Tom Pidcock (GBR)
2. Victor Koretzky (FRA)
3. Alan Hatherly (RSA)
7. Riley Amos (USA)
13. Christopher Blevins (USA)
As the mountain bike events conclude, it's time to focus on qualifications for BMX Freestyle. Hannah Roberts (Buchanan, Mich.; Hyper BMX), Perris Benegas (Reno, Nev.; Haro BMX), Marcus Christopher (Canton, Ohio; DK Bicycles), and Justin Dowell (Virginia Beach, Va.; Hyper BMX) will be the starters for Team USA.
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