“Disgusting boos”: How the mainstream media reacted to Tom Pidcock’s gold

Jamie Darlow

Pidcock was a “daredevil”, “Iron Man”, “Flash”, possessor of “superb bike-handling skills” and “le Britannique” according to the non-mountain bike press

Tom Pidcock holds his gold medal on the podium, sorounded by Silver medalist Victor Koretzky on the left and Bronze medalist Alan Hatherly on the right
TAGS:

We’ve probably all seen the news by now, Tom Pidcock wins his gold in Paris, after doing it the hard way. The Leeds rider punctured on the fourth lap, lost 40 seconds to Victor Koretzky, and the crowd went wild. Then, the impossible happened, Pidcock reeled him back, traded places until almost the last corner before squeezing the Frenchman out in the last wooded section. Amazing stuff.

It’s not often mountain biking makes it into the mainstream press, but this time it became a zeitgeist moment, with everyone from the Guardian to the Daily Mail throwing in their race reports. Some made for pretty interesting reading…

The crowd switches from boost to cheers, as Victor Koretzky sprints to the line for silver (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

GB News

GB News led with outrage at the reaction of the crowd to Pidcock’s win in Paris. “Tom Pidcock gold medal spoiled by ‘disgusting’ boos from Olympics crowd as Brit crossed the finish line,” the headline read.

It then went on to report the key events from the race, before revelling in comments from “online”, although we’re not sure exactly where on the World Wide Web.

How bloody rude for the French fans to boo our gold medalist Tom Pidcock

GB News said: “And there was furore online from Brits who felt the French-strong crowd showed disrespect to Pidcock with their jeers. One viewer fumed: ‘How bloody rude for the French fans to boo our gold medalist Tom Pidcock.’

“Another angrily posted: ‘Disgusting that Pidcock is being booed! Hardly in the Olympic spirit.’

“A third message read: ‘Hate hearing the French fans boo Tom Pidcock because he beat the Frenchman.’”

Telegraph

The Telegraph also focused on the booing: “Tom Pidcock said French fans booing him was ‘not really in the spirit of the Olympics’ after he sensationally beat home rider Victor Koretzky to Olympic mountain bike gold.”

The controversy occurred after the last lap overtake, something Pidcock said was just part of racing. We agree.

Now that’s “bike handling” for you – Charlie Aldridge turns it down over a drop on the Paris Olympic course  (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP) (Photo by JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP via Getty Images)

The Beeb

The BBC did much better, concentrating on how the race was won, with Pidcock using his “generational talent” to pull back to Koretzky after that puncture. It did however slip into roadie speak, apparently he “ruthlessly found a different line through the trees with his superb bike-handling skills as he edged ahead and then came off best after brief contact between the pair.”

Call us snobs, but “bike handling skills” is something road riders tend to possess.

All the specialists we consulted are unanimous: the Briton made no mistake

L’Equipe

The French sporting paper L’Equipe declared that Pidock was not at fault for the brush with Koretzky, taking a bipartisan approach to the race. “After seeing the images of Victor Koretzky being overtaken by Thomas Pidcock, the French team staff did not file a complaint,” it said on X. “All the specialists we consulted are unanimous: the Briton made no mistake.”

That’s a really useful bit of extra information, watching the action I was sure Team France would appeal, so big thanks to L’Equipe for clearing that up.

The Guardian

You could be mistaken for thinking Pidcock’s ride was something out of Homer and the Odyssey, so flowery was the praise. And why not? He did do the almost impossible.

“Tom Pidcock blew away his rivals with a virtuoso performance on the rough gravel of Elancourt Hill to take back-to-back gold medals in Olympic mountain biking,” the Guardian said. “In an epic battle with France’s Victor Koretzky, Pidcock pulled off the performance of his career, ­fighting back from a puncture and a clumsy wheel change to snatch gold at the very last.”

Strong stuff.

Daily Mail

The Mail managed to hold back from focusing on the boos, instead likening the Leeds talent to a superhero. “Tom Pidcock used to celebrate wins by lying horizontally on his bike and posing like Superman,” it said. “Perhaps it is time he was actually given a cape and put to work.

“Because during nearly 90 minutes of incredible drama at Elancourt Hill, Pidcock showed he really is a superhero on two wheels. He was Daredevil, he was Iron Man, he was Flash. And at the end of it all, he was a double Olympic champion.

“Pidcock had said before this race that winning two gold medals is ‘how legends are made’. Well, he can now consider himself part of the pantheon of British cycling greats.”

Guy Kesteven

OK, last but not least, Guy Guy Kesteven. He’s not exactly non-mountain bike media, but I’m putting his reaction in anyway as he filmed himself and his daughter live for YouTube. Queue much shouting at the screen, before the final relief: “Go on Pidders, yes! You beauty. Revenge!”