Heat and crashes - Despite strong spring, Tom Pidcock reflects on missed opportunities at Giro d'Italia and Milano-Sanremo
Cycling
Tom Pidcock has a successful change to Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, bringing in several victories in the opening month of the season and then riding to second at Strade Bianche behind only Tadej Pogacar. He's had perhaps his best ever start to the season, but laments a few moments of bad luck.
"It's been a long block, to be honest. Starting with a new team, you know it's always going to be difficult. I think the motivation was super high to start really well, which I did," Pidcock shared with Cyclingnews. A 6th at Tirreno-Adriatico, alongside Top10 in all the Ardennes (featuring a third place at Flèche Wallonne), cemented a successful spring.
"The big goal was Milano-Sanremo. I crashed there and was a bit unlucky. From there, I was holding on a bit, trying to keep the form I had. When you start so hot – even in January camp, I was really good – it's a long time to hold until now. But when you get an opportunity to ride the Giro, even if it's late notice, you give what you can".
Read also
At the Giro, he began without altitude camp as the other riders aiming for the overall classification, and with a very busy schedule all the way leading up to it's start. Hence ambitions would always have to be limited, but the Briton persisted in chase of a potential GC result - both for immediate and long-term development.
However the first dash of bad luck in the Giro itself came in the stage where he was the main favourite, as he crashed alongside Primoz Roglic in the sterrato and lost not only the chance to fight for the stage win but also a lot of time. "The Strade stage was the day, but it didn't go all to plan, some bad luck. I think when you're getting a bit tired and the decision that you make, you make your own luck".
It looked like there could be a minor result at play as he entered stage 19 in 13th spot, but on that day he completely cracked because of the head. "On the second climb, the group were going quite a lot faster. I just went for it, and the first time I went pretty hard, trying to get in that breakaway. It was the first day in the heat. I'm good in the heat when I'm prepared, but not when I'm not".
"I didn't really have the preparation. No altitude training or anything, and coming from the Ardennes races... it is very different to all the other GC guys. I mean, we only found out we were coming a few weeks before the race. It doesn't give us the best chance. But I can say I made the most of it," he concluded.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment