Tom Pidcock openly admits after victory: “Yes, I was frustrated”
CyclingSunday, 22 February 2026 at 19:01
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Follow us on GoogleTom Pidcock had been knocking on the door for a while, but on Sunday it finally clicked for the Brit of Pinarello–Q36.5: a win. In the final stage of the Ruta del Sol, he rode away from everyone in impressive fashion — a promising sign ahead of next week, when he is set to line up in Ghent for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
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Pidcock made his move on the final climb and ultimately finished ten seconds ahead of UAE Team Emirates–XRG rider Jan Christen. Romain Grégoire (Groupama–FDJ) completed the podium in third. The stage win also lifted Pidcock to third overall in the general classification of the race, which was won by Iván Romeo (Movistar).
“I knew today was gonna be tricky because the climb was so fast,” Pidcock said afterwards via team channels. He explained that the ascent was ridden at over 30 km/h on average and that he chose the steepest, hardest point to commit: once he attacked, Christen followed briefly, but Pidcock managed to open a gap and hold it all the way to the line.
Pidcock has looked sharp early in the season, having already placed third at the Vuelta a Murcia and second at the Clásica Jaén.
Continue reading below the photo!
Tom Pidcock picked up his first win of the season.
Pidcock rode on frustration
With Pidcock, winning is what counts — and he did not hide how much the near-misses had been eating at him. “Yesterday I was getting really frustrated… we trained so hard this winter,” he admitted, referencing the major commitment his programme has included, such as an altitude block in Chile.
That work is starting to show, but Pidcock also pointed to missed chances during the week. In his view, the team misjudged aspects of the parcours and let the GC slip on one day — something that left him annoyed because the opportunities were there.
On Sunday, though, the reset was immediate. “Today we took it. The team was great,” Pidcock concluded, saying the victory made the effort and setbacks worthwhile.
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Tom van der Salm (27) comes from the charming town of Zeilberg (Deurne) in the Netherlands and has been working as editor-in-chief & journalist at IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, In de Leiderstrui, since 2019. He travels with the peloton from the Tour de France to the AlUla Tour and from the World Championships in Rwanda or Canada to the Zilvermeercross in Mol. In his spare time he enjoys playing football, mountain biking, running, walking with his Labrador/Stabyhoun, investing, holidays, (specialty) beers, reading, cooking and watching sports & documentaries!
Contact: [email protected]
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Latest Comments
- - Félicitations in advance si ça se concrétise. Line-up looks très britannique mais con ambición grande. Tour 2027 en Edimbourg sería épico si les invitan.gearguru3310-09-2026
- - Vamos Ethan! Breakaway king of this Vuelta and super combative. Today’s flat chrono is perfect terrain—just keep it clean through the Jerez crosswinds.breakawaybikerd10-09-2026
- - Bit cautious here. Hayter’s had stop-start seasons with crashes/illness and I still don’t know if he’s a GC week-long guy or a TT/sprint hybrid. Curious whether they build around him or Pidcock first.pedalpowe2910-09-2026
- - Hayter’s engine + Q5’s growing train could smash team TTs and medium sprint stages. Mauro Schmid + Bittner coming too? That’s a nasty lead-out combo if they gel.cyclechamp4510-09-2026
- - Can someone explain how ProTeams get Tour invites? If Q5 aren’t automatic, what results do they need—UCI points, one-day wins, or stage race podiums? Confused how that process works.samanthak10-09-2026
- - Love the Edinburgh Grand Départ angle. If ASO is on the fence, a British TT champ in form plus Pidcock makes that wildcard case much stronger. Q5 look less like a ProTeam and more like a budding GC/ Classics hybrid.jennifer1910-09-2026
- - Not sure the piece nails the contract timing. Says “for 2027” but what about 2025–26? Is he staying at Soudal through 2026 even after being told no extension? Sounds a bit contradictory tbh.robert6510-09-2026
- - Huge if true. Hayter to Q5 alongside Pidcock, Wright and Gloag gives them a legit British core. With Glasenberg’s backing they’re clearly aiming at TdF wildcardHope he nails today’s TT after missing the Bilbao opener by09s—that’s been haunting him all Vuelta.tourdeforce910-09-2026
- - Love the honesty about hesitating because of Remco’s messages. Ego flattered but head ruled. That’s grown-up stuff. Vamos Tim, forza UAE!andrewf10-09-2026
- - “Brand team” line threw me. Does he mean title sponsor obligations? Either way, UAE pays the wages—totally get it. Bon courage Tim, allez!tourdeforce910-09-2026
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