“Three years, three times a second”: Tom Pidcock takes third consecutive second-place finish at Giro dell’Emilia

Tom Pidcock came within sight of finally changing the result that has followed him around the Giro dell’Emilia, but once again the Italian classic ended with the Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team rider standing on the second step of the podium.

Pidcock finished runner-up to Davide Piganzoli after being unable to close the gap created by the Italian on the technical descent toward the final ascent of San Luca. It was his third consecutive second-place finish in Bologna, extending one of the more unusual sequences of near-misses in his road career.

The result came despite Pidcock feeling strong throughout the race. His team committed early, and the Briton remained at the front as the selection was reduced to the strongest riders on the repeated climbs of San Luca.

“I think this week I’ve been focusing on recovering and getting back into the European time zone. But no, I felt good today. The team committed from the start, riding, and on the laps I felt pretty good,” Pidcock said after the finish.

The 197-kilometer race was ultimately decided by the tactical situation in the final kilometers, with Visma | Lease a Bike able to use its numbers in the leading group. Matteo Jorgenson repeatedly attacked before teammate Piganzoli made the decisive move with less than five kilometers remaining. Pidcock took responsibility for the chase behind, but the gap proved too large to erase before the final climb.

The 2026 edition marked the third straight year in which Pidcock has finished second at the Giro dell’Emilia. Each time, he has been close enough to victory to leave Bologna wondering what might have been.

“Just in the end, a shame that I didn’t have the legs to quite catch Piganzoli on the last climb. I felt good. I’m just a bit frustrated,” he said. “Three years, three times a second. But plenty more racing this week. I think I’m going to race tomorrow as well.”

The latest runner-up finish is also Pidcock’s fifth on the road this season. He has previously finished second at Clásica Jaén, Milano-Sanremo, the opening stage of the Tour of the Alps and Eschborn-Frankfurt. Those results have come alongside seven victories across road and mountain biking in 2026.

For his team, the result was also evidence that Pidcock had arrived in Italy with the form required to challenge for the win. “The team was in control throughout the day and virtually every rider played his part. Everyone had a specific section of the race where we needed him to work,” sports director Gabriele Missaglia said.

Missaglia highlighted Xabier, Milan, Mark and Marcel Camprubí's contributions during the earlier stages before turning to the decisive part of the race. “That could have become a decisive move, but the other teams reacted and brought it back. From there we saw the selection everyone expected and, in the finale, the strength in numbers of our rivals played an important tactical role in deciding the race.”

The tactical disadvantage left Pidcock chasing Piganzoli alone while Visma had multiple options at the front, and the Briton ultimately could not bridge the final gap. “There is some disappointment because the legs were clearly there and, with Tom, we came extremely close to winning,” Missaglia said. “Sometimes races are decided by these kinds of team dynamics.”

Despite another second place, the team believes the performance provides encouragement for the remainder of the Italian autumn campaign. “But we can take a lot from the way we raced today and from Tom’s condition. We are in a good place and now we look ahead to the next races,” Missaglia added.