Tom Pidcock is finding it hard getting back on his bike after going through 'two sets of tires in three days' on vacation
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Follow us on GoogleTom Pidcock took a well-deserved vacation after a long, grueling, but very successful 2026 season. The British rider from Pinarello - Q36.5 finished 5th in the world rankings, his highest ever position. The confirmed petrol head spent a few weeks on four wheels instead of his niormal two, but knows it's now time to get back to work on the 2027 season. Unfortunately that's proving to be harder than he thought.
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Pidcock won on the road and on the mountain bike in 2026
2026 was Pidcock's most successful season yet
Pidcock’s road season began as early as February 13, and after a somewhat difficult spring (though he did manage a handful of victories), he headed to the Tour de France.
He didn’t get another stage win, but after an aggressive race, he finished ninth in the general classification. A fantastic autumn followed, with a sixth-place finish in the Tour of Lombardy, second place in the Giro dell’Emilia and Tre Valli Varesine, and a seventh-place finish at the World Championships.
In his final race of the year, he was beaten by Jarno Widar in the Tour of Guangxi, but it was a great season for the British team leader of Pinarello - Q36.5, who had certainly earned a vacation afterward.
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No Cyclocross for Tom Pidcock in 2026-2027
A winter of cyclocross? No way, he said. “I don’t think I’ll be racing cyclocross this winter,” he said. In fact, the former world champion is even considering stepping away from cyclocross entirely.
With no slogging through the mud this winter, Pidcock has been finding other ways to entertain himself these past few weeks.
For instance, a week ago he was spotted not on two wheels, but on four. Together with motorsports legend Jörg Bergmeister, he showed up at the famous Nürburgring. In a Porsche 911 GT3 RS, he put his skills as a driver to the test—and they didn’t disappoint.
Read more below the Instagram post!
Pidcock, panting and huffing, back on his bike after vacation
His bike-handling skills came in handy on the German track. “I know a few pros and former pros from cycling, and the ideal line and flow needed for a smooth, fast lap come very naturally to those guys,” Bergmeister said of Pidcock.
“Tom gets in and knows exactly what he’s doing. He has a great feel for the car—and absolutely no fear!” Pidcock went through three sets of tires in two days, he said himself.
After that fun challenge, it was back to his home base in Andorra for Pidcock. There, he began his preparation for the new season, taking small steps at a time.
But it wasn’t easy, as he shows on Instagram. “Man, I hate being out of shape,” the Brit gasps and huffs. “No wonder people think cycling is hard, if this is what it’s like to be out of shape on a bike...”
Fortunately, the 2027 season is still a long way off.
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David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
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Latest Comments
- I like the honesty of that training post. Even the best riders feel the difference after a few weeks off, and he’s got plenty of time to build back up.samanthak11-11-2026
- Does XEFI’s investment mean the team will have more money to sign riders, or is it mainly a sponsorship and naming change? And is Roglič expected to race much next season?jeremya11-11-2026
- If the roster is nearly complete, why bring up Roglič at all? Feels like the article is turning a firm “no” into a transfer rumour.andrewf11-11-2026
- Wuling is no joke—105 km of climbing to 3,275 metres is brutal. Five minutes off Dyball’s record is still an incredible ride.velodromevirtuoso111-11-2026
- Roglič at TotalEnergies would be a fascinating move, but Heulot sounds pretty clear that it isn’t happening. His experience could be a massive boost for the younger riders, though.jennifer1911-11-2026
- Eight riders told to go for stages, and nobody gets one—hard to know what the plan was there. It’ll be interesting to see whether they pick a clear leader next time.bikebuffj10-11-2026
- Was Bernal’s 20th place really their best GC result? I thought he might have finished higher. Either way, it sounds like a rough Tour for the whole team.gearguru3310-11-2026
- Five days in breaks with no stage win is a painful stat. The team had chances, but they need to turn those opportunities into results.julien10-11-2026
- The Onley Vuelta example makes sense: a team with someone to rally around often looks much more cohesive. Hopefully INEOS can build on that rather than expecting a quick return to the Sky years.cadencekingm10-11-2026
- Thomas is right about the ambiguity. Eight riders all chasing stages can end up pulling in different directions, even if nobody’s deliberately working against anyone. They need a clearer plan once the GC leaders are out.robert6510-11-2026