"He is now ready for the triptych" - Tom Pidcock's coach confident that Briton is back to form after complicated month

Tom Pidcock is one of the most talented yet inconsistent riders in the peloton. His Tour of Flanders performance was a perfect example as he responded to the initial attacks of Tadej Pogacar, but then cracked completely. His coach is confident that he's got the necessary level to fight for wins in the Ardennes classics however.

“After the fall of Pidcock in Tirreno-Adriatico, we applied the team's health protocol. Tom stayed off the bike for four days. After medical examination, he was found to have a mild concussion. For that reason, we thought it appropriate to cancel Milano-Sanremo. You don't do that kind of final on the cutting edge if you're not 100 percent," team coach Kurt Bogaerts told Het Laatste Nieuws.

Pidcock had a strong start to his spring, winning Strade Bianche where he showed his best level. In that level he is a contender for most types of races, and the Ardennes are perfect targets. However after an injury suffered at Tirreno-Adriatico - where his form was much inferior to that shown at Strade - he didn't find his best legs. He did show the raw power in Flanders however, now it is a matter of working on the consistency.

"But Pidcock did need Milano-Sanremo for a good Tour of Flanders. Four days without training and then canceling Milan-Sanremo meant that Tom did not have the right preparation for the Tour. Then it makes sense where he ended up. If it wasn't, then you shouldn't train and it's better to lie in the sun," Bogaerts concluded.

For the past few weeks however the MTB Olympics champion has been training at a high level. Amstel Gold Race is a race in which he has history, finishing second in the 2021 edition behind Wout van Aert in what was a very hotly contested sprint.

“He has done the training in detail. He is now ready for the triptych. We hope that he can compete in the final three times. To win? That should also be possible," he concluded.