"I can certainly take confidence from today" - Tom Pidcock fourth on stage 2 of the 2023 Tour de France

Tom Pidcock was right in the mix on the second stage of the 2023 Tour de France, finishing in an impressive fourth position on the day. Speaking afterwards, he revealed he hopes to use this result to build momentum for the rest of the race.

“I knew I had a chance in the sprint. In the end I was a little bit boxed in between Wout and Tiesj. I got a little bit stalled. My sprint was okay but I thought everyone’s legs were falling off there," the 23-year-old told the official website of the INEOS Grenadiers post-stage. "If I got a little gap and there was some hesitation, I could have come solo to the line. I was thinking again about trying something in the final kilometre but I was on the right side. Victor Lafay went on the left so I was like ‘okay, I missed that’."

Lafay of Cofidis was the winner with the remainder of the elite group coming home agonisingly close behind, actually getting the same time in the end. Whilst Wout van Aert seemed visibly frustrated to come home second, Pidcock was staying positive after his fourth place.

“It's nice today to be in the front. Even on that climb I was relatively comfortable," he continues. "I think each day I can get a bit better and I can certainly take confidence from today in the next days.”