“It’s not ideal, but it’s certainly not impossible” - Tom Pidcock’s coach explains unconventional build-up to Milano-Sanremo

For Tom Pidcock, the road to Milano-Sanremo is not following the usual script. While many of the riders targeting the season’s first Monument traditionally arrive via Tirreno-Adriatico or Paris-Nice, the British rider has opted for a different build-up this spring. The decision reflects a wider approach within the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, where race programmes are increasingly shaped around specific objectives rather than long-standing peloton habits.

“Many riders still do it, but if you constantly keep doing the same thing or simply follow others, that is not necessarily good,” Kurt Bogaerts explained in conversation with Wielerflits. “Tom doesn’t mind riding the same races every year, but that mainly applies to the Monuments. Around those races, we look at where it’s possible to try something different.”

After finishing seventh at Strade Bianche, where mechanical issues disrupted his chances of repeating last year’s runner-up performance, Pidcock now turns his attention to Milan-Sanremo.

The race’s position in the calendar is also one of the reasons behind the team’s unusual programme, according to Bogaerts. “Tirreno starts shortly after Strade Bianche, and combining it with Paris-Nice is even more difficult,” he said. “After such a tough race, you always see a bit of a release among riders. You carry that feeling into the stage race that follows.”

“It’s impossible to start another race feeling completely fresh after a race like Strade," added Bogaerts. "You feel it in your legs, and that already makes the first opportunities more difficult.”

Instead of heading to Tirreno-Adriatico, Pidcock will race the Volta a Catalunya, which begins two days after Milano-Sanremo.

At first glance, that schedule may appear just as demanding, but Bogaerts sees a fundamental difference between the two races. “That’s true, but in my opinion Milano-Sanremo is less demanding than Strade Bianche,” he said. “Strade is about 200 kilometres at full intensity, while Sanremo is longer but has a more compact finale. It’s not ideal, but it’s certainly not impossible.”

The Catalan stage race also plays a role in the wider shape of Pidcock’s season. Following his podium at the Vuelta a España last year, the British rider’s ambitions increasingly extend beyond one-day racing, and longer climbs are expected to play a role in his development as the year progresses.

“In terms of his ambitions in the Tour de France, Catalunya is a race where much longer climbs appear,” Bogaerts said. “It’s not that we specifically want to see where he stands in the mountains, but it’s a good exercise to maintain the climbing aspect. It’s not really a goal in itself, but more something that fits into what comes next.”

That next phase of the season centres on the Ardennes classics: Amstel Gold Race, La Flèche Wallonne, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Pidcock’s explosive climbing ability has long made those races natural targets, and Bogaerts believes the additional climbing work from Catalunya can sharpen that strength further.

“Tom already has the explosiveness. His numbers over five minutes are very good,” he said. “But racing Catalunya can also make you stronger between the climbs. Classics open earlier and earlier now. If you climb better, you fatigue less quickly, and you can maintain your punch much more easily.”

For Pidcock, the route to Milan-Sanremo may look unconventional on paper. But within his team, the belief is simple: preparation does not have to follow the peloton’s traditions to produce the right result.