Individual Pursuit (4,000 metres), Men

The 1968 World Champion was Denmark’s Mogens Frey Jensen. But the story of the individual pursuit in Mexico was the times that were recorded. The fast track and altitude enabled the riders to obliterate the Olympic records. In the qualifying, the first nine riders bettered the listed world record of 4:45.94 – set by 1964 champion Jiří Daler, and 21 riders finished faster than the Olympic record. Xaver Kurmann (SUI), 1968 World runner-up, led the qualifying with a world record 4:40:41. But that was bettered in the third quarter-final by France’s Daniel Rebillard, who recorded 4:39.87. In the final quarter-final, Frey Jensen bettered that with 4:37.54 to defeat Italy’s Cipriano Chemello, who was considered a major contender. Rebillard and Frey Jensen met in the final, with Rebillard winning an upset gold. He had only come to Mexico as a member of the French team pursuit squad, but his performances were so strong in pre-Olympic trials that he was chosen to ride the individual pursuit as well.