"I never necessarily wanted to do cyclocross" - Tom Pidcock fully focused on the road; talks about negative media attention; 2025 goals

Tom Pidcock is no stranger to the spotlight but this year it has come in a more negative way then positive. The INEOS Grenadiers rider became Olympic MTB Champion but on the road he struggled to reach his best form, there were disputes with the team and even currently it's not certain if he will stay with the British team.

"That was largely because of the media. Those want to show two sides of you: the winner or the loser. There is no middle ground; there never really is. You read so many different stories. I deleted everything in terms of social media during my holiday. That was wonderful," Pidcock said in an interview with the Cycling Podcast Magazine.

In the Tour de France Netflix documentary his poor relationship with DS Steve Cummings was quite present, and although they denied it when the podcast came out, other team members have since shared that the feud was indeed real. Then alongside that came other issues that got in the way of his Tour de France goals. "The last two seasons were not the best. I didn't have the love for the Tour for a while, and I also struggled with a lot of illness."

Pidcock has achieved a lot in MTB and will likely put his full focus on the road now after another Olympic spell. He is also a former World Champion and strong rider in cyclocross, but he admits that he's not really fond of going back to it at the moment. "If I could choose, right now, I want to focus on the road. I never necessarily wanted to do cyclocross; it just happened when I started road racing. I thought mountain biking was fantastic to watch, and I just started to like that later on. But the road was always the main goal."

Still, the Briton will likely race a few events this winter, as preparation for the spring classics which will later aim for. The goals will likely be Strade Bianche and the Ardennes classics, taking into consideration his racing style and characteristics:

"I had so many problems with my hands; I need to focus more on that leading up to next season. Last season was full of highs and lows anyway. I didn't think it was bad; I had been close many times. For next season, I want to clarify for myself: What do I want to target? Then I think I can gain a few more percent."

"Before the Games, I was still really into mountain biking. After the games, I told my girlfriend I would fully concentrate on the road. Especially the Monuments, even more than the stage races. And Milano-Sanremo? I haven't specifically scouted the downhill yet. In that race, a bad move can cost you the race. Last time, I was riding too far in the back, and even if you are positioned well there, it doesn't necessarily get you the win either," he concluded.