Cooper sixth in gruelling mountain-bike finish

New Zealander Anton Cooper has battled to sixth in a gruelling finish to the men’s cross-country mountain bike at the Tokyo Olympics.

Cooper kept pace with the leaders for much of the seven-lap 28.25km race over a hilly and technical circuit, falling off only in the final lap.

British rider Thomas Pidcock took gold in 1hr 25min 14sec, 20 seconds ahead of second-placed Swiss rider Mathias Flueckiger with Spaniard David Valero Serrano a further 34 seconds back for bronze.

Defending champion Nino Schurter of Switzerland was fourth, while Frenchman Victor Koretzky edged Cooper in the sprint to the line to grab fifth.

Both riders recorded the same time of 1hr 26min flat.

Schurter, Flueckiger and Pidcock kept the early pace steady, with Cooper easing through to join them on lap three.

Pidcock took the lead at the beginning of the fifth lap, opening out an 12-second lead on Flueckiger with Cooper, Schurter and Koretzky less than a minute behind.

21-year-old Pidcock continued to build his lead, only Flueckiger staying in touch while Serrano joined Schurter, Koretzky and Cooper in the battle for bronze going into the last lap.

Dutchman Mathieu Van der Poel – one of the pre-race favourites – crashed early in the race on a short downhill section when he was sitting fifth, but battled back gamely to sit 15th before pulling out at the end of the fifth lap.