Pidcock shuts down GC and pink jersey hopes: "Not realistic for me.'"

For a long time, it was touch and go whether Pidcock and his team would even line up at the Giro, but just over a month out from the race, the green light finally came from RCS. “Riding the Giro has been one of my big goals ever since I joined Q36.5, and now it’s actually happening,” said Pidcock. “The route looks really exciting — full of opportunities for riders like me.”

Lining up alongside Dutchman Milan Vader, Pidcock didn’t beat around the bush during the team presentation. His ambitions? Clear and refreshingly simple. “I just want to race every day — and this Giro gives me the freedom to do that. Being up there at the front, going for a stage win — that’s the goal. And to enjoy the experience while I’m at it.” As for the general classification? “Honestly, I’m not really interested in that,” he added with a shrug.

Tom Pidcock might be on many shortlists for the first maglia rosa in Tirana, but he’s keeping both feet firmly on the ground. “It’s going to be tough to take the jersey on stage one. I don’t think the course is selective enough to drop the faster guys. But hey, we’ll see on Friday. Realistically, it’s just not likely. Still, it’s going to be a hard day openers in a Grand Tour always are.”

“I’m starting with ambition and I feel like the legs are still there,” the Brit added. “But I also don’t want to go all-in too early. We’ll study the route, pick our moments, and try to make the most of them. As a team, we’ve got to show we deserve this spot.”

Tom Pidcock is one of the rare riders lining up for the Giro d’Italia after a full Ardennes campaign, including Amstel, Flèche Wallonne and Liège. “I’ve recovered well from the Ardennes. I felt stronger with each race and got into a good rhythm again something I’d lost a bit after Milan-Sanremo,” he admitted.

“Still, it feels a bit odd to be starting a Grand Tour. I don’t quite have that Grand Tour mindset yet,” said the Q36.5 rider. “Maybe it’s because we’re not in a country steeped in cycling tradition. But it’s also nice to race somewhere I’ve never been before that’s one of the perks of the job.”