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PARIS (Velo) — Riley Amos lit up the cross-country mountain bike race after which broke down in tears when he realized he made U.S. Olympic Video games mountain bike historical past.
The 22-year-old from Durango crossed the road seventh behind gold medalist Tom Pidcock (Nice Britain) to raised the earlier all-time mark set by Todd Wells with tenth in London 2012.
“I used to be so excited to cross the end line,” Amos informed Velo with tears pouring out. “I don’t suppose I felt feelings till the final lap, it was such an ideal race.
“All of the feelings got here out after they informed me it was the most effective U.S. lead to historical past within the Olympic Video games,” Amos stated. “I’m simply so grateful to be right here. It’s superb.”
Amos is simply getting began and he’s a part of a younger wave of American athletes shifting into the elite ranks.
Christopher Blevins suffered an early puncture however dug deep to complete thirteenth to raised his 2021 Tokyo Video games, however admitted he wished extra.
It’s the second day in a row for U.S. firsts, with Haley Batten using to second within the elite girls’s race Saturday for the all time American Olympic MTB end.
Racing in elites for first time
Much more spectacular for Amos is that Monday’s huge experience got here in his first race in opposition to the elites at this stage of worldwide competitors.
A prolific winner on the U23 circuit, Amos greater than held his personal in opposition to the “bigs” of the mountain bike circuit.
“To show that I’m on observe to be aggressive with them sooner or later, with my first go to be within the top-10, that’s actually laborious to make that leap from U23 to elite,” he stated. “We’ve seen guys prior to now who had been actually destroying U23 prior to now they usually actually wrestle in elite.
“My aim is to have the ability to make that leap constantly, I used to be racing with legends right this moment, and that was the most effective a part of the day.”
Riley Amos earns best-ever Males’s Mountain Bike consequence at Paris 2024 Olympic Video games. Christopher Blevins finishes thirteenth at his second Video games.
Learn Extra: https://t.co/JsEoCgeRto pic.twitter.com/h3BCvyaBLa
— USA Biking (@usacycling) July 29, 2024
Amos proved that Monday, using into the top-10 after a frenetic, attack-riddled begin that noticed USA Biking teammate Christopher Blevins puncture early (see beneath).
“The primary two laps had been tremendous hectic, I felt good and I attempted to regulate my effort as a result of I knew it was going to be a very lengthy day,” he stated. “I bought swarmed actually laborious within the first two laps, and an intro of racing with the large guys.
“I needed to experience my very own race, and be cognizant of the place I’m proper now, and I rode the best possible with what I had right this moment,” he stated. “I needed to not hearken to all of the noise round me and hold charging ahead little by little.”
Amos additionally had a front-row view of Pidcock’s superb comeback when the eventual gold medalist reeled him in with two laps to go.
“Tom was using my wheel and he was making an attempt to squeeze via,” Amos stated. “I undoubtedly wasn’t going to attempt to comply with his wheel, however it was cool be within the combine with all these guys. I simply had a smile on my face after I was on the wheel of the legends.
“I labored these final two laps with Sam [Gaze] to attempt to transfer ahead, and I didn’t know I may experience with these guys,” he stated. “It is a large step for American mountain biking. I’m simply thrilled right this moment.”
Blevins wished greater than thirteenth: ‘I’ll be again’
Christopher Blevins additionally got here shut to creating historical past, however a puncture early within the race scuttled his medal possibilities.
He battled again to complete thirteenth to raised his 14th in Tokyo, however the Durango rider was additionally hoping to experience into the top-10.
“I had a flat and I used to be a minute and a half again, and I might have needed to have close to magic legs, and I didn’t have these,” he informed Velo.
“I’m bummed I couldn’t make it occur right this moment, however simply the act of going ahead counts for lots. I’ll be again.”
Blevins, again for his second Olympics, was additionally hoping to experience into the top-10 and maybe even extra.
A quick and explosive begin coupled with an early puncture noticed him combating to get probably the most out of the race when he knew the medals had been gone.
“Giving every little thing on the Olympics is the aim. And I feel I achieved that right this moment,” Blevins stated. “And as quickly as I had the flat, I needed to attempt to mentally pivot and going all-out.”
Within the heated chase, Blevins additionally clipped a tree on the slender single-track, along with his proper shoulder barely bleeding on the line.
I bought fairly broad shoulders. So if that occurs to me loads,” he stated with fun.
“I wish to thank everybody who helped help me to get right here. That’s the most effective a part of the Olympic expertise is the help you are feeling and the love you are feeling. And now it’s simply an honor to be right here.”
