From Alpe d'Huez to world titles - The 5 most incredible victories of Tom Pidcock’s career
CyclingFriday, 18 September 2026 at 10:51
Tom Pidcock has built a career matched by very few riders of his generation. His ability to compete and win on the road, in cyclocross, and in mountain bike has made him one of the peloton’s most distinctive cyclists, able to switch from a mountain bike to the Monuments without losing prominence.
His wins don’t follow a single pattern. He has won by attacking from long range, by imposing his technique on descents, by holding firm on major climbs, or by waiting until the final metres to land a decisive blow. His palmarès blends the rainbow jersey, the most prestigious classics, and a stage victory on one of the Tour de France’s most mythical summits.
Some of those conquests also carried special weight in his trajectory. They were wins that confirmed a specific quality, broke a barrier, or directly changed how the cycling world perceived him.
Below, we analyse five victories, the most extraordinary ones; five triumphs that help explain the scope of a rider who has never fit neatly into a single category.
1. Amstel Gold Race 2024: the revenge that turned a wound into history
The 2024 Amstel Gold Race was much more than Pidcock’s first major Dutch classic. The Briton arrived marked by the 2021 defeat, when he lost to Wout van Aert by such a tiny margin that the photo finish was needed to determine the winner. Three years later, he settled that outstanding account.
Pidcock made the decisive group and, this time, didn’t need a solo masterclass. His victory came in a scenario of maximum parity, surrounded by top-tier riders like Marc Hirschi, Tiesj Benoot, and Mauri Vansevenant. After more than 250 kilometres of attrition, the race was decided among the best.
The win was hugely significant because it confirmed that Pidcock could take one of the calendar’s big classics through strategy and composure, not only through sheer spectacle. This time there was no photo finish or controversy, but revenge, victory, and confirmation that the rider from Leeds was ready to dominate the major spring appointments.
The podium of the 2024 Amstel Gold Race
2. Strade Bianche 2023: a show of force that revealed the classics specialist
The 2023 Strade Bianche probably represents Pidcock’s most spectacular road version. The Briton chose to turn a 184-kilometre race into an individual test of endurance with around 50 kilometres still to go before Siena.
It wasn’t just a long-range attack. It was a statement of intent. Pidcock used his extraordinary skill on the sterrato and his ability to descend at speeds few could match to open a gap that, kilometre by kilometre, became an unbridgeable advantage.
That victory marked an upgrade. Pidcock stopped being only the multidisciplinary talent who could win on any surface to become a genuine contender for the major classics. Winning in Siena after such an exhibition proved he could also sustain a race of the highest intensity for dozens of kilometres completely alone.
3. Alpe d'Huez 2022: the day Pidcock conquered the Tour
The triumph on Alpe d'Huez carried a different meaning. At just 22, Pidcock took his first victory in the Tour de France on one of the most recognisable climbs in cycling history. He didn’t win just any stage: he conquered a summit that belongs to the mythology of the French race.
His performance was especially significant because it came from the break and after a Galibier descent that showcased one of his main virtues: an extraordinary blend of technique, bravery, and risk management. On the Croix de Fer he again showed he didn’t need to wait for the final climb to make differences.
On Alpe d'Huez he completed a victory that changed his international stature. Pidcock went from being one of the sport’s great prospects to a rider capable of winning a Tour stage on one of its most emblematic stages. That day he stopped being a promise and became a reality.
4. Milano–Torino 2026: the victory of maturity
The 2026 Milano–Torino shows that the more mature Pidcock doesn’t always need grand displays. His win on Superga was a lesson in race reading and precision, in a classic where conserving energy until the exact moment is essential.
The Briton waited for the final climb and prevailed in a scenario where explosiveness and pacing were decisive. The win arrived in a season where he had already shown consistency in the big races, including second at Milano-Sanremo.
More than revealing a new quality, this victory confirmed his progression. Pidcock no longer needs to surprise to win: he can also control, bide his time, and execute. Milano–Torino embodied exactly that, the transformation of an outrageously talented rider into one who reads races with growing maturity.
5. Fayetteville 2022: the rainbow that proved he could master it all
The Cyclo-cross Worlds in Fayetteville holds a special place because it allowed Pidcock to pull on the rainbow jersey again and confirm, in the elite category, that his multidiscipline status was no marketing label. It was competitive reality.
The significance of that triumph went far beyond cyclo-cross itself. Pidcock had already claimed Olympic mountain bike gold in Tokyo while simultaneously developing his road career. Winning the Fayetteville Worlds meant becoming world champion in a different discipline while also building a top-tier résumé on tarmac.
That victory captured Pidcock’s exceptional range better than any other. He was not merely a specialist shining across formats: he could win the biggest titles in each. Fayetteville draped the rainbow over his shoulders and cemented the image of an extraordinary rider who turns versatility into a true competitive weapon.
Javier RampeCycling Journalist
Javier Rampe is a sports analyst with more than 15 years of experience. He holds a degree in Economics from the University of Rome and a Diploma in Business Studies from the University of Cádiz. Despite coming from an academic background not particularly associated with cycling, his passion for both cycling and journalism was instilled in him from an early age. He grew up following Miguel Indurain and José María “El Chava” Jiménez. An admirer of Michael Robinson’s communication style and journalistic approach, he was inspired to pursue a degree in Journalism at the University of Buenos Aires, which he is currently completing.
He has always maintained close ties with the worlds of sport and culture, contributing from a young age to sports blogs and film and music review websites. His work has appeared in media outlets such as Cope, RAI, and Radio Con Vos. He is also the founder of the cycling-focused podcast El Contraanálisis and the football interview channel Días De Fútbol, dedicated to conversations with professional footballers.
In addition to his work at Ciclismoaldia, Javier has interviewed some of the most influential figures in modern cycling, including Alejandro Valverde and Tadej Pogačar, as well as key voices in anti-doping policy such as Alberto Yelmo, David Varillas, and Marcelo Milano. Marcos Maynar, in relation to the ‘Operación Ílex’ case, is also among the personalities he has interviewed. He enjoys conducting in-depth analysis of the cycling ecosystem and has attended major events such as Strade Bianche, the Vuelta a Andalucía, and Itzulia, as well as numerous national cyclo-cross races.
His background in economics, combined with extensive experience in marketing and corporate communications, drives his continuous study of positioning strategies and ensures that he always keeps his focus on crafting compelling and evocative headlines.
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- No doubt Remco's father will e be preparing excuse if he loses the TT.Looking forward to worlds but not the constant excuses and whinging from Remco. You never get excuses or moaning from Pog when he is beaten.paultryan200218-09-2026
- Sorry Pops, that's delusional parental bias. Your boy was 3rd. Period. Woulda, coulda, shoulda doesn't make the wish & dream true prognasticating the future. Humility & respect are appreciated traits. If Remco's occasional heated actions are on display, it's maybe fair to connect some dots back to parental figure as an influence. Benefits of doubt would give hope Pops comments are taken out of context & click baited all of us.aswanson18-09-2026
- That's true and he'd be feeling confident considering his Tour podium.awp18-09-2026
- I'd like Del Toro to go back. THAT'S some unfinished business.wrsty18-09-2026
- It was a high likelihood he would have won the 2023 Giro had he not come down with covid. By the time he had withdrawn he had won two stages and was leading on gc by almost a minute. I doubt Tadej races the Giro next year. If Tadej and Jonas don't race it and Remco can keep the rubber side down he has another good chance to win the race.awp18-09-2026
- UAE asked Wellens to do the late races before Pog crashed. For sure they would like Del Toro to win, but they did not suddenly ask Wellens not to ride the Worlds when Pog withdrew.Hills3317-09-2026
- It is obvious. UAE want del Toro to win so they can have the Rainbow Bands in the team. Wellens would assist Remco in denying del Toro, potentially being a satellite rider (and a long range attack is what is best for Remco). UAE don't want that, so are sending Wellens to the CRO race so he can't help Evenepoel
Rafionain-Glas17-09-2026 - So Belgian and therefore so ironic. Start by getting along with or accepting each other and maybe representing your country won’t be such dilemma. Funny how when we hear about this kind of thing it’s always from the same countries, Belgium for the men and The Netherlands for the women, unless of course you count Tadej’s refusal.Mistermaumau17-09-2026
- What was funny was that Red Bull's official news website didn't state how long the contract is forRafionain-Glas17-09-2026
- Michael Goolaerts (RIP), Briastre: in 2018 he suffered a cardiac arrest and crashed.,which was sadly fatal. Johan Museeuw, Arenberg: suffered a serious fractured kneecap in 1998 which threatened his career Davide Ballerini: Fractures of the hamate and trapezium bones in the left wrist in 2025. Ayco Bastiaens also sustained a left collarbone fractured, while Stefan Küng sustained facial and knee injuries and Silvan Dillier fractured his right hand, still completing his work for van der Poel.Rafionain-Glas17-09-2026
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