"After what I showed last year..." - Tom Pidcock aiming for a podium at his return Tour de France

Tom Pidcock made his move away from INEOS Grenadiers and became a born-again stage-racer. The Briton finally proved his potential to fight for Grand Tour results at the 2025 Vuelta a España; and after his maiden podium on a three-week race, he now aims to be able to do the same at the Tour de France.

"I think it's much more achievable now, after what I showed last year. But a podium finish in the Tour is something else entirely," the Briton said in an interview with Marca. Pidcock is a rider that, in the under-23 ranks, notably dominating the under-23 Giro in 2020, his final year before turning pro. Although his talent was better used as a versatile rider, his climbing abilities never disappeared.

Pidcock is a winner of classics such as Strade Bianche and Amstel Gold Race; but most notably he managed to win world titles in cyclocross and mountain biking; whilst also being the double reigning Olympic Champion in mountain biking. However despite this almost unique versatility, it took only a fully-focused season on the road and a change of teams to bring back his best legs. 2025 was an outstanding year, the best in his career, and he wrapped that up with a podium at the Vuelta, despite having a very modest support team at Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team. The Swiss team has improved quite a lot into 2026 and has a lineup featuring plenty quality riders, and the Tour de France is in the Briton's schedule.

And the podium is going to be a goal, even if very hard to reach. "I understand what it takes… Well, maybe I don't fully understand it, because I've never done it before. But it's a challenge we're working towards. I'm not worried about my competitors; I just have to be in the best possible shape at the start".