“I was going to say it's great to win for the second time but that might create some controversy" - Tom Pidcock reacts to thrilling Amstel Gold Race victory

Three years on from being given a controversial second place behind Wout van Aert in a photo-finish at the Amstel Gold Race, Tom Pidcock has now finally got the official win on his palmares after a thrilling sprint this Sunday afternoon.

“I was going to say it's great to win for the second time but that might create some controversy," laughed the INEOS Grenadiers leader in his post-race interview, referencing the photo-finish in 2021, where van Aert was given the win despite Pidcock seemingly crossing the line first. "But this feels really good!"

Entering the final kilometre in a four-man group alongside Marc Hirschi, Tiesj Benoot and Mauri Vansevenant, Pidcock managed to hold off his rivals in a thrilling sprint for the line. "This year, the start has been so tough with big sacrifices and being away from home so much so to finally put it together and get the hands in the air means a lot," he assesses. "This race, I’ve always loved racing and it’s pretty special."

“I always do a good race here and today the team were fully behind me. Kwiatkowski was going well but he fully committed to me so to repay them was really special," Pidcock concludes. "I felt half in control in the sprint. My hand after Paris-Roubaix meant I was struggling to sprint and I had a lot of shoulder pain so I wasn’t that confident but that’s how it ended up.”