TOM THE ONE
Pidcock delivers Team GB another gold medal as he cruises to mountain bike glory just minutes after Daley and Lee win
TOM PIDCOCK blew away the rest of the field to claim gold in the cross country mountain biking to continue a magic Monday for Team GB at Tokyo 2020.
The 21-year-old was simply in a different league as he twisted, turned and climbed his way through the trees and trails of the Izu MTB Course.
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And after breaking away on lap four of seven, he held off the challenge of Swiss world No1 Mathias Fluckiger to win by 20 seconds.
The Leeds star crossed the line in 1:25.14 carrying the Union Jack thrown to him by a fan on the final straight as he was crowned champ.
Pidcock helped prepare for the hot conditions in Japan by training in a heated tent at home - then broke his collarbone in five piece in a car collision in June.
But he managed to keep his cool in the pressure moments to stay upright for the duration of the ride and become Britain's first mountain biking gold medal winner at the Olympics.
Pidcock, who started on the fourth row, said: "It does not feel real really.
"It’s pretty crazy that I became an Olympian and I was trying to tell myself at the start of the race it’s special just to be here.
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On his return from injury, Pidcock added: “Really hard. I haven’t done a good race since.
"I’ve trained really hard, I knew I was in great shape but there’s always doubt when I haven’t performed in a race.
“But once the race started, I knew I was in a good place. The heat, I mean, obviously I didn’t feel good but everyone just told me no one will feel good.”
Tom's his success is even more astonishing considering he broke his collarbone in five places.
He was hit by a car while out training at the start of June and was forced to undergo surgery and miss the Tour de Suisse preparation race as a result.
With his Olympics looking in doubt, Pidcock made a sensational recovery to become the youngest-ever winner in the event and seal Team GB’s first-ever gold in the discipline.
His mum Sonja Harper, 53, was left in tears.
And she reckons her son was just four years old when she knew he was destined to ride on two wheels.
Sonja, a fitness instructor, said: “I’m feeling relief and elated, and really emotional.”
Olympic cycling legend Chris Hoy was among the first to congratulate the new gold medallist.
He tweeted: "Yes!!! Tom Pidcock you little beauty!"
British Cycling added: "GO ABSOLUTELY WILD!!! IT'S GOLD FOR TOM PIDCOCK!!!"
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Pidcock's was Team GB's third gold of the day after Adam Peaty's successful 100m breaststroke defence and Tom Daley and Matty Lee's stunning synchronised diving performance.
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Peaty clocked the fifth-fastest time in history as he stormed his way to glory - before dropping a pair of F-bombs in his live TV interview.
Then later on at the aquatics centre, across on the 10m platform at the diving pool, Daley and Lee teamed up perfectly to upset Chinese favourites Cao Yuan and Chen Aisen.
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