Long solo attack "really not the plan" for Tom Pidcock who scores biggest pro victory on the road at Strade Bianche
Cycling
It was no surprise that Tom Pidcock had the legs to win Strade Bianche, but that took nothing from the INEOS Grenadiers rider who went clear close the same location as Tadej Pogacar had in 2022 en route to a massive victory.
“It was really not the plan to start such a long solo. I knew that the Monte Sante Marie was a decisive point in the race. I managed to make a gap in the descent and then continued," Pidcock said in a post-race interview. The race had been calm until then when it comes to Strade Bianche standards, but at Monte Sante Marie Alberto Bettiol attacked.
Pidcock was one of the two riders to respond, with the peloton remaining in a standstill. Pidcock quickly went off alone as the peloton then blew up due to the difficulty of the sector, but the gap that had grown was already decisive.
“Honestly, this week the feeling was already good. I knew then that something good was going to happen. I knew it would be my day. It's really unbelievable that it worked. It is indescribable," he continued. Pidcock caught up and dropped the last survivors of the breakaway and kept riding alone without a single turn whilst his rivals constantly battled through the final sectors and rolling sections.
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This lack of collaboration was what saved Pidcock however. "The pursuers came close and then I thought for a moment: I've messed it up. Only, we rode a high pace all day and it is difficult to close a gap," he had thought. Coming to the Via Santa Caterina the victory was assured. The Briton capitalized on a brilliant day where his climbing and descending skills were both crucial to victory.
A former Cyclocross World Champion, Mountain Bike Olympic Champion and Tour de France stage winner, he now adds Strade Bianche to his palmares. Arguably, the most prestigious and also impressive victory of his career on the road. I saw this season that riders in the race already benefited from the bikes, but that was not the case today. I had hoped for it," he concluded.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- Pidcock finished 9th place, 29 minutes down. he is a helluva rider, so gutsy. and he is amazing at all disciplines. but this headline is . . .mij09-11-2026
- I know, watch the video. and listen to her competitors. it was a tricky tacky call at best. WTF is this guy talking about??? my original comment was from the picture it didn't look like anything.mij09-11-2026
- I dunno what you're talking about. you make no sense. MS's competitor and the competitors coach said it was BS. she didn't deviate in a way that relegation should be required. revel LOL. you're so cool, in your own mind.mij09-11-2026
- deviation lol, watch the videomij09-11-2026
- the 'No different than women who follow and discuss celebs through gossip magazines' comment was unfortunately a bit off. didn't you just boast about your principles in the comments section of another article?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- Are you MrMauMau 2.0? Nothing you are saying is really relevant. Vaguely connected, but irrelevant. The conversation is whether Schreiber impeded Brand or not.
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
- Yeah, unreal.
parisbound0008-11-2026
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A big win that means so much to the team 🤗 The boys were awesome today #StradeBianche
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