“I was on everyone’s blacklist” – Tom Pidcock says Tour de France rivals shut down every breakaway attempt
CyclingFriday, 24 July 2026 at 14:45
Tom Pidcock says his position in the Tour de France general classification has made him too dangerous to be allowed into a breakaway, with rivals immediately shutting down his attempts on stage 18.
The Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team leader had hoped to race aggressively on the road to Orcieres-Merlette, but was closely marked whenever he tried to move clear. He has now accepted that his remaining Tour will be fought entirely through the general classification.
“Today was definitely not easy, although the final climb was fairly controlled,” Pidcock said.
“I wanted to try one more time to get into the break, but nobody wanted me there. I already knew before the stage that I was on everyone’s blacklist, so it wasn’t possible.”
Pidcock denied freedom to attack
Pidcock’s attempts to enter the break were quickly neutralised as the teams around him in the standings refused to allow him up the road.
Richard Carapaz did make the decisive move and went on to win at Orcieres-Merlette, but his presence in the break also prevented Pidcock from treating the stage solely as another chance to hunt victory.
“When you have Richard Carapaz up the road, you cannot simply give him free time,” Pidcock said. “I have too much respect for a rider like him to do that.”
Pinarello Q36.5 changed its approach once it became clear Pidcock would not be allowed into the move, protecting him through the remainder of the stage and into the final climb.
Carapaz took the win on stage 18
Focus turns fully to the general classification
Pidcock stayed with the main group of favourites on the ascent to Orcieres-Merlette and reached the finish without losing ground to the riders around him.
“I guess now I’ll focus completely on the General Classification all the way to Paris,” he said.
With his breakaway attempts now drawing an immediate response, Pidcock enters the final Alpine stages with little choice but to defend and improve his position through the direct GC battle.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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