Totally exhausted, even Pidcock is emotional after an incredible Vuelta: "I am very proud of myself"

The 26-year-old Brit often started a Grand Tour well, but when he began to show some cracks towards the end of the second week, it seemed to be going as usual. That turned out to be different, because Pidcock explained that his minor setback was mainly due to a mentally challenging day in Bilbao and that he had his best legs back in the third week.

Pidcock was able to keep up with the best riders throughout the third week, and even when he seemed to crack on the steep Bola del Mundo in stage 20, that was not the case. “It was difficult to find a rhythm on such steep sections with that surface. I was still in control. I didn't want to go over my limit and explode.”

That didn't happen, although Pidcock did completely collapse at the finish line. “I think I'm mostly exhausted. This morning, I was really looking forward to today. I had two relatively easy days behind me, so today felt like a one-day race, which I'm good at. Honestly, I don't know what to say. I'm very proud of myself.”

Did we see a little emotion from the usually cheerful, smiling, and often stoic Pidcock? “I think it's my greatest achievement in my career. Maybe not the biggest victory, because there are some very special ones. I'm just so exhausted, I can't find the words for it,” he recovered at the top of Bola del Mundo.

What was the best thing about reaching the top of the steep final climb in the Vuelta? There is still a day to go in Madrid, but: "The best thing is that I can relax now. You remain focused day after day and are fully engaged every day. Now I can just sit here without having to put on a jacket, drink cherry juice, and get a terrible recovery shake in my hands."

He added to Velon: "Did I enjoy it? Yes, I enjoyed the challenge, but it's difficult. We came for a top ten finish and a top five was optimistic, and here we are... on the podium. The work we've done and the shape the team has got me in gives me more confidence than ever that I can win a Grand Tour. For now, I'm just going to enjoy this."