Pidcock's passion lies in classification: "If that means I can't win a stage, so be it"

Tom Pidcock has fully established himself as a classification rider in the Tour de France. After nine days, the young Briton impressively secured seventh place representing INEOS Grenadiers. During an online press conference on the rest day, he expressed his desire to maintain a top-ten position until Paris to IDLProCycling.com.

"I'm enjoying it," said Pidcock, reflecting on his performance as the fourth overall rider, a day after crossing the line at the Puy de Dôme. "I continue to improve with every challenge I face, striving to stay at the front. It motivates me to aim for a top-ten position, something I didn't have in the past. I've developed the patience and focus required to pursue this goal, which isn't typically characteristic of me. This Tour de France is my first true experience as a GC rider."

Pidcock is currently 5.26 minutes behind leader Jonas Vingegaard, but his gap to third-place Jai Hindley is just under three minutes. Reflecting on his performance, Pidcock acknowledges that he had a challenging start in the Basque Country, where he struggled, particularly on the first day. "The start didn't go as I had hoped. It was tough to kick off the weekend like that. However, Sunday was a good day, and I would love to replicate that success."

Looking ahead to the second week, Pidcock eagerly anticipates the Alps. "There are demanding days ahead, and the Alps will present a significant test. My objective is to maintain consistency. It has become both a challenge and a goal for me to see where I can finish," he adds with a smile. He recognizes the contrast between his previous statement after finishing on the Puy de Dôme, where he expressed disappointment about the increased difficulty of winning a stage as a GC rider. Nonetheless, he sees it as a sacrifice he is willing to make. "If that means I can't win a stage, so be it. I've learned a lot from this experience."

It's a nice touch that Pidcock is not the only rider in the top ten. The pressure isn't solely on him, as Carlos Rodriguez is also performing well in fourth place. This makes INEOS Grenadiers the only team with two riders in the top ten, apart from the dominant Jumbo-Visma and UAE Team Emirates squads. "We have options, but we are both still young. Carlos has previously achieved a top-ten finish in the Vuelta, so he's more accustomed to it. It would be different if we had two experienced riders who know their limits."

Having two young leaders is accompanied by an impressively experienced supporting team. Jonathan Castroviejo, Omar Fraile, Michal Kwiatkowski, and Daniel Felipe Martínez have all already achieved significant results. Additionally, after his setback on a climb, Egan Bernal has taken on the role of a domestique. Pidcock acknowledges this as a luxury. "It's remarkable. He came here with a free role, to test his abilities. But when he lost time, he immediately switched to a support role. It's an honor that he is 100 percent committed to Carlos and me, considering his track record. The fact that he does this for me, even though I've never won, is truly inspiring."