David Valero Serrano is celebrating a comeback for the ages…

The 32-year-old Spanish cross-country mountain biker gave his country a surprise medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games, taking home the bronze in the men’s mountain bike race.

Valero, who finished in ninth place at the 2016 Rio Games, made an anthological comeback after being caught by one of the cuts at the start of the race.

He had a lot of exit problems. After a very quick start, he had stayed in one of the tail groups. Valero, far from resigning himself, continued working throughout the test. In a demanding route of just over four kilometers, he improved lap by lap.

In an extraordinary effort, he reached the group that was fighting for the medals. He then managed to cut the gap with the cyclists who were fighting for third place and add a medal that wasn’t expected at all.

His work has given the second medal for the Spanish team after the one achieved in Taekwondo by Adriana Cerezo.