American Haley Batten fined after winning silver in mountain biking at Paris Olympics

Haley Batten made U.S. Olympic history by winning the silver medal in the women’s mountain bike cross-country event on Sunday.

It is the best result for an American mountain biker at the Olympic Games in the history of the sport.

She will nevertheless leave France with a lighter wallet.

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Haley Batten of the United States of America during the Women’s Road Cycling, Women’s Cross Country on Day 2 of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Elancourt Hill on July 28, 2024 in Elancourt, France. (Henk Jan Dijks/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)

Batten was fined $565 for breaking a rule on the final lap. She was battling for second with Sweden’s Jenny Rissveds when she drove into a lane reserved for pit stops or mechanical pit stops.

The judges only found that Batten had broken one rule: failing to “comply with the instructions of the race organization or the stewards.” Officials did not appear to believe his infraction was sufficient to warrant a disqualification.

Batten and Rissveds both finished behind France’s Pauline Ferrand-Prevot.

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Haley Batten of the United States competes in the women’s road cycling event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Elancourt, France. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

“I knew before Tokyo that this was the race I was focused on,” Batten said. “I knew for a long time that I could be good here and Tokyo was it. I wanted to be on the podium, but I wasn’t ready yet, to be honest. I’ve prepared a lot better to be the best I’ve ever been. For me, the preparation has been studying and building every year.”

Batten also survived a flat tire during the race. She was fortunate to have American mechanics nearby who helped her quickly change the tire.

The only other medals won by American women have been bronze – Susan DeMattei in 1996 and Georgia Gould in 2012.

“To be able to perform in one day is a real challenge, and everyone who competes at the Olympics is the best in the world,” Batten added.

From left, silver medalist Haley Batten of the United States, gold medalist Pauline Ferrand Prevot of France and bronze medalist Jenny Rissveds of Sweden celebrate on the podium after the women’s mountain bike cross-country event during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Elancourt Hill venue in Elancourt, July 28, 2024. (EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images)

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“Everyone is strong, everyone is fit. Everyone is well prepared and can ride at their best. So for me to be able to clear my mind and be ready to race at my best, no matter what the challenges are before and during the race, it’s incredible.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ryan Gaydos is the editor-in-chief of Fox News Digital.