One World Championship down, one to go: Tom Pidcock takes one step closer to road title in Italy: 'Turned out they weren't so bad'
CyclingMonday, 07 September 2026 at 11:04
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Follow us on GoogleJust one week after his victory at the Mountain Bike World Championships, Tom Pidcock marked his return to road racing with another win. The British rider from Pinarello-Q36.5 won the Gran Premio Industria & Artigianato di Larciano on Sunday. He is now heading to Canada in high spirits, where he will be one of the favorites for the World Road Cycling Championships.
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Pidcock broke away on the Mungherino climb, then rode the final thirteen kilometers solo. Christian Scaroni (XDS-Astana) and Anthon Charmig (Uno-X) joined the Pinarello-Q36.5 rider on the podium, who was understandably very pleased with his victory.
"I came here to get my road legs back after riding my mountain bike, but it turned out they weren't so bad after all," the Brit remarked afterward in his flash interview.
Just like the Vuelta peloton, Pidcock had to battle the heat
"It was super, super hot today, and we knew it would all come down to the final climb. Usually, after the Mountain Bike World Championships, it takes me a while to get my road legs back because it's a completely different kind of effort, so I'm really happy with how I felt today," said Pidcock.
"The team led the race all day and did a fantastic job. Quinten Hermans made sure we were never forced onto the defensive when attacks were launched. He was always right up front and was rock-solid, so I think we can be very happy with how we raced,” said the team leader.
Read more below the photo!
Tom Pidcock became the mountain biking world champion just last week.
Pidcock is now traveling to Canada
"If you want to win a race like this, that's the way to do it—either from a small group or by going solo. "It's really great to come here and win," concludes Pidcock, who will now head to Canada, where he'll compete in the Quebec and Montreal Grand Prix races on Friday and Sunday.
Afterward, the Brit will set his sights on the World Cycling Championships in Montreal, where a victory could mark a unique achievement: Pidcock would then become the first rider to win a World Championship on the road, in cyclocross, and on a mountain bike. Mathieu van der Poel—who has already won the first two—is also chasing that trilogy, but on the MTB.
Tom van der Salm (27) comes from the charming town of Zeilberg (Deurne) in the Netherlands and has been working as editor-in-chief & journalist at IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, In de Leiderstrui, since 2019. He travels with the peloton from the Tour de France to the AlUla Tour and from the World Championships in Rwanda or Canada to the Zilvermeercross in Mol. In his spare time he enjoys playing football, mountain biking, running, walking with his Labrador/Stabyhoun, investing, holidays, (specialty) beers, reading, cooking and watching sports & documentaries!
Contact: [email protected]
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- - Class act. The way they used the crosswinds, INEOS lighting it up, then Bjerg drilling it—textbook echelon stuff. Wellens deserved that jersey.andrewf07-09-2026
- - Can someone explain why the Worlds are in Canada but they mention GP Montreal 2015? Is it the same course or just the same city? I’m a bit confused about how that works.samanthak07-09-2026
- - Not sure I buy the “team short on riders” line entirely. Worlds only comes once a year. Would’ve loved to see him support Remco on that Montréal circuit. Feels like a missed chance.gearguru3307-09-2026
- - Huge respect for Wellens. Dominates Britain, then skips Worlds to honour his commitment to UAE. That’s leadership. Also, massive shout to Bjerg and Politt—proper team ride.bikebuffj07-09-2026
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