Pauline Ferrand-Prévot of France has won the Olympic cross-country (XCO) gold medal at the Paris Olympics 2024. The Frenchwoman put on a dominant display after attacking early on, eventually winning by 2 minutes 57 seconds. The silver medal went to Haley Batten of USA, and the bronze to Jenny Rissveds of Sweden.

ELANCOURT, FRANCE – JULY 28: Pauline Ferrand Prevot of Team France celebrates winning gold as she crosses the finish line during the Women’s Cross-Country Cycling Mountain Bike Gold Medal race on day two of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Elancourt Hill on July 28, 2024 in Elancourt, France. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

The Olympics has been the one event in mountain biking that Ferrand-Prévot has never won at – until now. She announced plans to retire from mountain biking at the end of this season to focus on the road, and what better way to go out than to win at her home Olympics. Despite criticism of the Olympic Course from Tom Pidcock among others, it provided an entertaining race with crashes and mechanical incidents turning the race on its head.

US’ Haley Batten reacts as she cycles to the finish line to take second place (silver medal) ahead of Sweden’s Jenny Rissveds (R) taking third place (bronze medal) in the women’s cross-country mountain biking event during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Elancourt Hill venue in Elancourt, on July 28, 2024. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP) (Photo by JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP via Getty Images)

How it happened

It was fast from the start for the women, with that steep climb early on in the first lap allowing for early shuffling for position. Ferrand-Prévot along with her compatriate Loana Lecomte and Dutch rider Puck Pieterse kept the front of the race closely guarded until Ferrand-Prévot attacked. She created a gap between Pieterse and Lecomte which was never to be brought back.

Netherlands’ Puck Pieterse competes in the women’s cross-country mountain biking event during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Elancourt Hill venue in Elancourt, on July 28, 2024. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP) (Photo by JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP via Getty Images)

Pieterse, knowing Lecomte wouldn’t be working particularly hard to bring back Ferrand-Prévot, attacked herself, trying to bridge the gap to the leader. But disaster struck for Pieterse in the 6th lap as she suffered a puncture and ended up back down the order.

ELANCOURT, FRANCE – JULY 28: Loana Lecomte of Team France (obscured) crashes (L) while Laura Stigger of Team Austria (R) competes during the Women’s Cross-Country Cycling Mountain Bike Gold Medal race on day two of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Elancourt Hill on July 28, 2024 in Elancourt, France. (Photo by Alex Broadway/Getty Images)

Lecomte fought hard to remain in the medal positions but disaster struck as she crashed on one of the rock garden features. Fingers crossed she makes a quick recovery.

The battle for silver and bronze raged on, with the group eventually whittling down to Haley Batten of USA and Jenny Rissveds of Sweden attacking each other constantly on the unrelenting course. Batten eventually made an attack stick on the final lap and took USA’s first XC Olympic medal since 1996. Rissveds took bronze for Sweden, after not having an answer to Batten’s final attack.

ELANCOURT, FRANCE – JULY 28: Evie Richards of Team Great Britain competes during the Women’s Cross-Country Cycling Mountain Bike Gold Medal race on day two of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Elancourt Hill on July 28, 2024 in Elancourt, France. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Evie Richards of GBR quashed her own pre-race doubts and had a superb race, working her way through the field – eventually finishing 5th, just behind Pieterse, who had to work hard to recover places after her puncture.

Britain’s Ella Maclean-Howell also impressed, finishing 23rd after being seeded over 30th. We have no doubt she’ll have more Olympic battles to contend in the future.

But the story of the day remains Ferrand-Prévot’s accomplishment, emotions running high as she crossed the finish line in front of a home crowd. A flawless race from start to finish, with her typical high gear, low cadence style proving to work once again. Will we see another Pinarello hardtail win the men’s Olympic XCO race? We’ll have to wait and see. To find out how to watch the men’s Olympic XCO race on Monday 29th July for free, read our guide here.

ELANCOURT, FRANCE – JULY 28: Gold medalist Pauline Ferrand Prevot of Team France (L) and Bronze medalist Jenny Rissvets of Sweden (L) pose on the podium during the Women’s Cross-Country Cycling Mountain Bike Gold Medal race on day two of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Elancourt Hill on July 28, 2024 in Elancourt, France. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Final results:

1. Gold – Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, France
2. Silver – Haley Batten, USA
3. Bronze – Jenny Rissveds, Sweden

GB riders:

Evie Richards – 5th

Ella Maclean-Howell – 23rd