Peter Sagan thwarted by punctures in Olympic mountain bike race

Peter Sagan’s hopes of winning a medal in the Olympic Games mountain bike race were scuppered by mechanical problems.

The reigning road world champion started at the back of the field due to having the lowest world ranking in the race but made an electric start and quickly moved up to third place.

The 26-year-old Slovakian was looking comfortable on a hilly course made difficult by wet and muddy conditions, but he then suffered a puncture towards the end of the first of seven laps and dropped to about two minutes off the pace.

Sagan was later forced to carry his bike by a second puncture, and when he had to stop again for a separate mechanical problem, he was lapped by the leaders and consequently eliminated.

Nino Schurter, of Switzerland, won the gold, with the Czech Republic's Jaroslav Kulhavy taking silver and Spain's Carlos Coloma the bronze.

Britain's Grant Ferguson finished 17th.