"I'm not a fan of that” – How can Tom Pidcock’s form catch fire in Giro d’Italia week three?

Fifteen stages into the 2025 Giro d’Italia, and Tom Pidcock's debut Grand Tour with Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team remains a work in progress. There have been sparks, but he has not yet the race alight, even if their still are chances to do so.

For both rider and team, this is a journey of firsts. It’s Pidcock’s first Grand Tour since switching to Q36.5, and the Swiss-based squad’s first ever appearance in a three-week race. Expectations were high, but while there have been flashes of potential, the results haven’t been eye-catching just yet.

Pidcock arrived in Italy full of ambition. At 25 years old, he brought not just star power but real intent. Several stages looked tailor-made for the versatile Brit on paper, technical, punchy, and suited to his explosive style. But many of those opportunities were swallowed up by the dominance of Mads Pedersen in the sprints, while the mountain stages have yet to break in Pidcock’s favour.

He showed promise on Stage 9’s gravel showdown, a terrain that suits his off-roading pedigree, but a crash scuppered his chances. Still, he sits 15th overall, just over a minute off the top ten.

IDLProCycling.com spoke to his coach, Kurt Bogaerts, who explained the context behind Pidcock’s approach.

"Tom didn't have the preparation to ride for the GC because he trained for the classics. It's no secret that you need specific preparation if you want to go for the GC. That's why we go for it every day: to signal his body for 21 days and get the most out of it. He's doing well so far, even though there have been some difficult days."

The aim, Bogaerts said, is steady adaptation, not a headline-grabbing result at all costs, but a long-term developmental effort.

"But there are also good days ahead because his results weren't bad at all. You must be realistic after everything he's done since the beginning of February. That's what we tell him every day," he added.

"In stage 11, for example, he didn't feel great on that first climb. That wasn't surprising because he hadn't trained for it. But he'll get better and better on climbs like that. Cycling uphill steadily is something you take with you into the final week."

At this point in the Giro, a tactical question arises: should Pidcock deliberately lose time in the GC to open up breakaway opportunities? Bogaerts is clear.

"I'm not a fan of that. Tom has to fight every day, and then at a certain point, he'll be close enough to have a chance to go with the breakaway."

That philosophy keeps Pidcock within touching distance of the top ten. If he continues to ride consistently, the top ten itself becomes a realistic goal.

"Then you're riding for the GC, that's for sure. I'd be happy with that, and we're also happy with where he is now," said Bogaerts. "But then he has to survive the big mountain stages."

And that is the next big unknown. Pidcock’s only Grand Tour stage win came at the 2022 Tour de France on Alpe d’Huez, an iconic solo that proved what he’s capable of on his day. The question is whether the bigger climbs in the Giro’s final week will expose his lack of specific preparation, or reveal a hidden reserve of strength.

For Bogaerts and Q36.5, this Giro is about more than stage wins or GC positions. It’s part of a broader development plan for their marquee rider.

"We also see this Giro as something for the long term and, therefore, have to continue on this path. Learning, recovering, focusing, nutrition... That's the next step in his career."