Why Tom Pidcock doesn't take his teammates to the Teide or Sierra Nevada, but at 2,700 meters in Chile

Tom Pidcock is heading to altitude training in January — and he’s taking some of his team with him. The 26-year-old Briton will train at 2,700 meters with a handful of riders from Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling — but they’re not going to the usual European high-altitude spots. Instead, they’re flying to Chile in South America.

Pidcock has undoubtedly had the best road season of his career, culminating in third place in the Vuelta a España. That came not by accident after a switch from INEOS Grenadiers to the percentinational Q36.5, where Pidcock gets to set the lines. That's also how the altitude tour to Chile came about.

Pidcock and six teammates will spend a month training in South America. That should really have remained a secret, according to Bogaerts, but it came out in cross. "It all has to do with the climate, of course. Most teams go on altitude training to the Sierra Nevada and Tenerife. But those places regularly suffer from bad weather in this period," the Belgian told Play Sports.

Pidcock, living in Andorra, can know firsthand. Visma | Lease a Bike was recently rained out in Calpe, Spain, and even in Tenerife, good weather anno 2026 is no guarantee. The Sierra Nevada is struggling with a lot of snowfall this winter. In Chile, it will be 30 degrees in January. Pidcock heads there Sunday with Brent Van Moer, Xandro Meurisse, Quinten Hermans, Thomas Gloag, Fred Wright and Fabio Christen.

Bogaerts stressed that the riders were allowed to make their own choice, because a South American trip will last a month on the other side of the world, so it is not just a training camp. Pidcock "stuck his finger in the air first," and in addition to the riders, two athletic directors, one trainer, three caretakers, two for the equipment, a nutrition coach and cook will be going along.

Sponsors immediately run into "a hefty financial picture," according to Bogaerts. But apparently it's worth it, then. In addition to bringing the entire club over, sleeping accommodations must of course be booked on site. Bogaerts emphasizes that the riders who are going are tremendously excited about this opportunity, something he says is going to be very important mentally. '

There will be occasional off-road training in addition to road. 'Tom has asked to bring specific tires and most of the riders we take to Chile like to ride offroad, or have an offroad background. That makes it extra fun. The group returns to Europe on Feb. 5, plenty of time to deal with the jet lag heading into Pidcock's season opener.