'It just exploded' - Rider suffers freak wheel break during Olympic mountain bike race

Candice Lill had to run to the tech zone after an 'unusual' mechanical at Paris Olympics

Candice Lill at the Paris Olympics
(Image credit: Darren Lill / Getty Images)

One rider's hopes for a medal in the Olympic mountain bike race were dashed after she suffered a freak incident, shattering her rear wheel on a rock. 

South African rider Candice Lill broke the rim of her wheel in two places during the opening laps of the event in Élancourt, and rode on to finish 20th overall. 

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Tom Davidson
Senior News Writer

Tom joined Cycling Weekly as a news and features writer in the summer of 2022, having previously contributed as a freelancer. He is the host of The TT Podcast, which covers both the men's and women's pelotons and has featured a number of prominent British riders.

An enthusiastic cyclist himself, Tom likes it most when the road goes uphill and actively seeks out double-figure gradients on his rides.