"I think what we'll find out this weekend" - Luke Rowe predicts next few days could determine Pidcock's future as a GC rider

Sitting 8th in the general classification at 5:26 down prior to the start of stage 13 at the 2023 Tour de France, Tom Pidcock's first Grand Tour as a GC rider has been a solid effort so far. According to his INEOS Grenadiers teammate Luke Rowe, the upcoming weekend will be massive for Pidcock.

"I think he's stuck between a rock and a hard place," said Rowe on Eurosport's 'The Breakaway'. "He's a guy who wants to go and win races, but I think he's learning a lot about himself these three weeks. Has he actually ever ridden GC in a week, or three-week, stage race at this level? Not really. So each day he's learning more about himself and what he can do in the years to come."

Pidcock has repeatedly expressed his desire to try and repeat his success from the 2022 edition of the race and take a stage win. With the position he is in at the moment however, he's probably too close to be allowed in a breakaway and not as good a climber as the likes of Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard to take a stage win ahead of them.

"I think what we'll find out this weekend… he's either going to move up, or if he starts to fall back then he'll just fall right out and go for stages," continued Rowe. "But if you look at the last mountain day, he had his best day so far. He'll keep battling and on Monday we'll know if he's really going to fight for the death in GC or just sit back, lose time and go and get stages."

"The way he's riding and the way the team are clearly protecting our GC spots at the moment – I actually kind of know he's going to go for GC. Between him and Carlos, I honestly believe that one of them can finish on the podium," Rowe concludes. "They are out-climbing Hindley I think, Simon Yates you've seen a bit rocky the last couple of days, so I see no reason why they can't finish on the podium which would be an amazing accomplishment for either Carlos or Tom."