Tom Pidcock: "Of course you have to be ready for Tadej's attack"

Tom Pidcock starts Amstel Gold Race today as a favourite but an unknown. At his best level he could certainly fight for the win just as he did back in 2021, but it is uncertain if the Briton will be at that level. Nevertheless, with short and punchy climbs in the route, he could prove to be one of Tadej Pogacar's biggest headaches.

"Of course you have to be ready for Tadej's attack, because he's the one you shouldn't let go, who shouldn't give you a gap. But you can't focus your entire race on one rider," Pidcock said in an interview with CyclingPro.net this morning. "In these competitions there are many points where you have to be in front as a team, where you race. That will not change.”

Pidcock has recently put in a good performance at the Tour of Flanders, but suffered late in the race due to a mistake in feeding. Lacking errors today he could find himself in front as he did back in Strade Bianche where he won impressively. However the competition and conditions here are different, but he leads a strong INEOS team that also includes defending champion Michal Kwiatkowski.

“I only rode the entire race once. It's super heavy, but I love it a lot. I look forward. Whether the Strade Bianche and the Amstel Gold Race should be counted among the Monuments? They both have history. In my opinion they are above some Monuments, but that is just my opinion. You can't label everything as a Monument," he concluded.