- Tom Pidcock secured gold in the cross-country mountain biking on Monday
- The Team GB suffered a puncture scare which threatened to ruin his race
- Fans were left baffled by BBC opting to change feed during Pidcock’s puncture
Angry fans have ripped into the BBC’s coverage of the Olympics after they missed Tom Pidcock’s puncture during the cross-country mountain biking on Monday.
Pidcock had been leading the race after three laps before disaster struck when he was forced change bikes following the mechanical issue.
The 24-year-old dropped to ninth place due to the puncture, with the British star facing a 40 second deficit to France’s Victor Koretzky at the halfway mark of the race.
Pidcock, later, dramatically took the lead in stunning fashion as he and Koretzky nearly collided before sprinting to the finish to end nine seconds clear to claim gold.
However, while most fans were left stunned by the thrilling race, some were left disappointed by the BBC’s coverage – as they opted to change feed during Pidcock’s puncture.
Tom Pidcock defended his Olympic cross-country mountain bike gold in dramatic fashion
Pidcock took the lead in stunning fashion as he dramatically overtook France’s Victor Koretzky
Fans voiced their frustrations with the BBC’s coverage on social media shortly after the event
One fan wrote: And the @BBCSport decide that cutting out a chunk of the live mountain biking to bleat on about the morning events, missing Tom Pidcock getting a puncture and falling back….. FFS!’
‘BBC missing the Tom Pidcock puncture is not ‘one of those things’ – it was an avoidable error, they could have done an overlap from BBC Two to BBC One, and not bothered with an iplayer ad and a morning summary. Discovery + / Eurosport is your friend.’
Thanks @BBCSport for changing channels during the mountain biking, showing endless adverts for BBC progs so we missed To Pidcock’s bike getting a puncture.
‘Absolutely pathetic coverage from @BBCSport of the olympics, showing iPlayer adverts in the middle of the mountain bike race just as #Pidcock was leading and got a puncture. So much for paying licence fee and “Category A” events being guaranteed. #BBC had lost its way.
‘Missing Pidcock’s puncture for a channel change, classic BBC.
‘BBC missing Tom Pidcock getting a puncture during the channel changeover is one of the things in their control.
Viewers did not hold back as they slammed the BBC’s coverage of the mountain biking
Can’t believe I switched off BBC 2 with Tom in the lead and by the time BBC 1 had picked up the coverage it just cuts to him having a tire change.
Pidcock produced a stunning ride to close the gap, catching Koretzky as they entered the final lap of the race.
The duo were joined by South Africa ‘s Alan Hatherly with the trio battling it out for the medals.
Pidcock dramatically took the lead in stunning fashion as he and Koretzky nearly colliding after the Britain audiciously overtook the Frenchman in the closing stages.
Pidcock had been forced to fight back after a puncture left him 40 seconds off the lead
His move would prove the decisive moment with the reigning champion then sprinting to the finish to end nine seconds clear.
French star Koretzky was left settling for silver, with Hatherly ending a further two seconds behind to take bronze.
Pidcock had been booed by the home crowds at Elancourt Hill, who had been ecstatic when Koretzky had attacked on the final climb of the race.
The British star had been forced to overcome a challenging build-up to the Games after being forced to leave the Tour de France following a positive Covid-19 test.