Pidcock showed great physical and mental sportsmanship for Pogacar: "Didn't want to take advantage of that"
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Follow us on GoogleWhen Tadej Pogacar attacks, no one can follow. That is the law of cycling. So, it looked a bit strange when Tom Pidcock attacked the world champion on the Monte Sante Marie during Strade Bianche. On Pogacar’s signature sector, Pidcock created a duel that turned into a chaotic spectacle all the way to the finish. IDLProCycling.com spoke with him afterward.
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Those who only look at the results will see a 1 minute and 24-second gap between Pogacar and Pidcock. And that’s after the Slovenian from UAE Team Emirates-XRG crashed in the final. Plenty of cynics might argue that Pidcock’s attack wasn’t that impactful, but the Brit himself saw it differently. "No one has been able to follow Tadej this year, though he's only raced once so far. And last season, no one could either. So, I should be happy, but it’s a bittersweet feeling."
Because even though for much of the race it seemed like Pidcock could actually win, the final result suggests otherwise. "I’m really tired, to be honest. Of course, I wanted to win, but I think I put in a good performance. I came close. Unfortunately, Tadej crashed, and to be honest, that gave me more of a chance, but he was still too strong in the end. I’m happy, but of course, also a little disappointed."
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Pidcock decided to wait when Pogacar crashed
What if, what if. In theory, Saturday’s Strade Bianche scenario was already plan B—because if Pogacar had stayed on his bike, would he have won even more easily? Pidcock didn’t see it that way: "It was really close. I was closer than in my previous attempts to beat Tadej. But it wasn’t close enough. The plan was to follow him, and I knew he would attack somewhere, but on Monte Sante Marie, he hesitated a bit. So I thought: then I’ll go."
And just like that, we had Pogacar, Pidcock, and early breakaway rider Connor Swift (INEOS Grenadiers) leading the race—until Pogacar crashed in a bend. "I kept riding for a moment because I didn’t know what was going to happen. Once I saw he was back on his bike, of course, I waited. He’s the world champion, and you have to respect that. You shouldn’t want to take advantage of something like that. And there was still a long way to the finish—I didn’t want to ride that whole stretch alone."
Or, as he later put it: "A lot went through my mind. I looked back and saw that Connor was gone too, so then you start thinking about the fifty-kilometer solo effort you’d still have to do with just a minute and a half lead. He got back on his bike pretty quickly, so waiting was the right move. If I had crashed like that, it would have affected me more. He was badly battered, but he didn’t seem to be in pain. Is he an übermensch? Well, I guess we’ll have to cut him open when he’s dead, but I don’t think we’ll find anything weird."
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Pidcock and Q36.5 impressed by his performance
That Pogacar managed to drop Pidcock even while injured didn’t add to the Brit’s disappointment. The climber is still very pleased with his own performance for his new team, Q36.5. "If you look at the progress I’ve made in the past year, I think I’m heading in the right direction. I joined this team and have been working with a new coach and nutrition specialist since December. That’s only three months..."
"I knew I was in great shape—the best I’ve ever been," he continued confidently. "It was great to battle with Tadej for so long, and maybe this was my best performance on the road yet. I felt super strong, and my attack wasn’t for nothing. I was really strong today and felt comfortable at the pace UAE was setting. When I attacked, there were only six of us left, so yeah..."
The confidence at Q36.5 is clear. Pidcock’s teammate Mark Donovan emphasized that point when speaking to IDLProCycling.com. "Tom made it clear that he doesn’t race for second place, and today he showed what he’s capable of. He came really close—not many guys can say that. It was impressive. In today’s cycling, there aren’t many riders who can win races, but Tom is definitely one of them."
And so, the up-and-coming team fully supports him. "Having him in the squad is huge. It gives everyone a confidence boost—we fight every day to win with one of the best riders in the world. That’s amazing, and it will bring a lot to the team in the coming years."
Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email: [email protected])
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Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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