Like in a boxing match, Tom Pidcock (GBR) overcame a near puncture to win the next four laps over Victor Koretzky (FRA) and retain his title as Olympic champion in cross country mountain biking.

At the finish line, a chorus of applause was mixed with loud booing by the French crowd, seemingly in shock that their favorite had won the silver medal nine seconds behind Pidcock.

Team Great Britain called the spectacle "speechless" on social media.

"After the puncture, I knew I was going to do almost five laps, and that's 50 minutes, so I knew anything was possible," Pidcock said at the finish.

"In the end Victor was really fast and I couldn't pass him! I just had to go for the gap. It's the same with the Olympics. The support for him was great.

Three years ago in Tokyo, Koretzky finished fifth after building a 20-second advantage and dominating the competition. It was also the second comeback in as many weeks for Pidcock, who retired on stage 13 of the Tour de France after being tested for COVID-19.

He said he "recovered well" before his title defense three days ago. He proved it on Monday.

"Even the mechanics weren't ready because everyone is used to things going well. My car was perfect apart from one mistake, a puncture," Pidcock told BBC Sport after the finish, referring to his stop in the pits with a punctured front tire.

"I can't thank everyone enough. From the Tour to COVID, everyone has been around me and I've trained perfectly for this."

Pidcock, along with Matthias Flückiger (Switzerland) and Victor Koretzky (France), was in the lead group after the second lap of the cross-country competition. Then, on the third lap, he attacked on the 4.4 km course, and on the climb up the Elancourt hill, he opened a gap on Koretzky, who was the only one able to keep up with Pidcock.

Disaster struck early on lap 4. Pidcock sensed that his front tires were softening and slowed just before the drop-off. While Pidcock stopped in the pits, the French rider accelerated.

When Pidcock entered the pits, he had already lost 10 seconds. He pointed to the front wheel, but when he stopped, it took the British mechanics another 10 seconds to find the wheel and reach the rider.

When the front wheel was replaced, the time difference reached 30 seconds. Pidock continued to accelerate, but was passed by several riders. At the next official time check, Pidock was clocked 36 seconds behind.

The gap remained unchanged for a lap. Pidcock began to charge with less than three laps to go, with Koretzky leading alone and Alan Hatherly (South Africa) in second alone.

Pidcock made his time back at the end of lap 4, closing quickly on Sam Gaze (New Zealand) and teammate Charlie Aldridge.

With two laps to go, Pidcock caught Hatherley and was only 17 seconds behind Koretzky. On the next climb, Pidcock cut the gap to a few seconds, and the battle for the gold medal on the final lap was in full swing.

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