Cyclocross Without Pidcock: Cameron Mason Steps Up as Britain’s Next Big Hope

Tom Pidcock is skipping the cyclocross season for the second year in a row, leaving British fans and pundits searching for a successor in the mud and trenches of winter racing. With no marquee British entry like Pidcock to headline races, one name is increasingly coming to the fore: Cameron Mason.

Mason has been competing at the elite level for several seasons and is gaining attention for his consistent performances. He claimed the British national cyclocross title for the fourth consecutive year this past weekend, underlining his steady rise in the discipline.

He made the jump from under-23 racing to the elite ranks in the 2022/2023 season. While his results last season and early this winter were relatively under the radar, November saw him achieve multiple podiums in major European cross races — including strong performances in Oudenaarde, Hamme, Flamanville, and Kortrijk.

However, Mason admitted to Cycling Weekly that his form dipped in December. “I had it this winter that on some of my Saturdays, I was just on top of the world, just floating, and then the next day I just felt like such a terrible bike rider,” he said — showing the emotional and physical rollercoaster many riders face during a long winter season.

After finishing thirteenth in Baal on January 1, Mason had not been seen at the front of the results board until his national title victory. Reflecting on his win, he said it was about turning the page mentally and physically. “Mentally and physically, I needed something to flip the switch. Winning nationals is quite a good way to do that,” he explained.

Looking ahead to the Cyclocross World Cup races in Maasmechelen and Hoogerheide — key events in the build–up to the World Championships — Mason is optimistic. “I think I can do something there," the 25-year-old tells. "Even if I shoot for Worlds and then miss, I’ll still be good enough – there are other races.”

Pidcock’s absence leaves a noticeable gap — he has been one of the most prominent all-round talents in recent years, with elite success across cyclocross, mountain biking, and road racing. But as Mason’s steady development suggests, Britain may indeed be ready for a new figure to carry the torch in cyclocross, even if it takes time for him to fully break through on the World Cup circuit.