Tom Pidcock has reminded the
cycling world of his fearless bike handling with the release of a stunning new
video, showcasing his descent of the Rossfeld Panoramastrasse in Germany, at
speeds over 100 kilometres per hour.
The Olympic mountain bike
champion and
Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team rider clocked a maximum speed of 95kph on
the winding alpine road, even riding out of the saddle while producing over 800
watts on some stretches. The footage is another Pidcock display of descending
mastery, recalling the same audacity that earned him his most iconic road
victory, attacking on the Col du Galibier en route to winning atop Alpe d’Huez
at the 2022 Tour de France.
Pidcock, now in his debut season
with Q36.5 after leaving INEOS Grenadiers, is expected to ride the Vuelta a
España later this year following a Giro d’Italia campaign that fell short of
expectations.
Despite mixed results on the road
this season, his skills on the bike remain unparalleled. In an interview with GCN
last year, Pidcock shared insights into the technique behind his descending
prowess.
“Building it up slowly without
crashing while you’re learning the skills is really important,” he said. “Going
on the drops is better, lower centre of gravity. Then as you approach the
corner, you want to be putting your outside leg straight, the pedal down, and
then – it’s a bit counterintuitive – put your weight on the inside of your
handlebars, and that will lean the bike in. You don’t have to turn.”