Tom Pidcock flies in "best time trial ever", lining himself up for Vuelta podium: "Felt super strong"

Pidcock finished the 12.2-kilometer time trial in 22nd place, but among the top ten in terms of the general classification. Only João Almeida (third), Jonas Vingegaard (ninth), and Matteo Jorgenson (twelfth) did better. Pidcock, for instance, was faster than direct rivals Jai Hindley and Giulio Pellizzari (both Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), as well as Matthew Riccitello (Israel-Premier Tech).

“I think this might have been my best time trial ever, looking at the numbers I put out. I can be very happy with that,” Pidcock said afterwards to Eurosport. He extended his third place in the general classification over closest rival Hindley by three seconds, to now 39 seconds. A nice gap, with only the brutal mountain stage to Bola del Mundo left on Saturday.

That Pidcock performed so well in Valladolid was even a surprise to himself. “We didn’t focus much on time trialing and mainly concentrated on climbing. I only did one training session for the team time trial and then the team time trial itself, but today I felt super strong, to be honest.”

That the time trial was shortened from 27.2 to 12.2 kilometers was, according to Pidcock, not just an advantage for him. “I don’t think many riders would’ve wanted to do a longer time trial today, if you asked them,” he said, laughing. The route had to be altered due to renewed threats around pro-Palestine protests.

“I’m not thinking of that at all,” Pidcock said. He had previously commented on the protests earlier in the Vuelta but is now focused on other things. “Damien (Howson, ed.) does the work for us in the group of riders responsible for that. I’m focused on what’s in front of me, and if we end up doing a shorter time trial, then I adjust to that.”

No one saw Pidcock’s form in this Vuelta coming, especially not after he seemed to lose a bit of fitness in the second week. “The stage to Bilbao really cost me a lot mentally,” the Brit said about that. On stage 11 of the Vuelta, he looked set to win the stage and take time on all the others, but a pro-Palestine protest caused the day to end without a winner.

“I really suffered in the final part of the second week,” Pidcock continued, who was, however, able to recharge successfully on the final rest day. That’s how he was back on form in stages 16 and 17, and now also in the time trial. “This week I feel really good again, like I did in the first part of the race. So I have confidence.”

The stage to Bola del Mundo on Saturday might also be Pidcock’s last chance to win a stage. That too was a goal for this race, but: “This is the first time I’ve been in this situation, and finishing on the podium would be bigger for me than a stage win. I’d love to win a stage, but balancing that is difficult.”