Gutted for @tompidcock. A crash on the final lap sees him slip to third place in #Baal. He showed great grit to get to the finish and remain on the podium.
Crash in Baal may have ended Tom Pidcock's cyclocross season - World Champion skips several races over leg injury
CyclocrossTuesday, 03 January 2023 at 16:32
Tom Pidcock was set for a victory at the GP Sven Nys in Baal over the weekend, but his entire race and season were turned on it's head after he crashed dramatically over a jump. He's opted out of the X2O Trofee Herentals and there is the possibility that his cyclocross season has ended.
“Tom Pidcock still tested, but he soon realized that racing in Herentals on Tuesday was not an option," INEOS DS and head of cyclocross Kurt Bogaerts told Belga. "He still suffers too much from his injuries after the fall. Fortunately, the wound did not require stitches." Pidcock didn't seem hurt in the crash as he collided with the net that separates the riders from the fans, however he was heavily bruised and swollen on the impact area.
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The Briton had already decided to not participate in the title defense next month in Hoogerheide so as to prepare for the classics season. He was set to ride in Herentals today but has opted out. The new Benidorm World Cup is the only race left on his schedule, but it's unclear if he will take part. "Normally, the cross in Benidorm remains on his schedule," Bogaerts adds however.
"Normally he should always win the cross in Baal. Until that fall. That is unfortunate. We are now taking some rest and then Tom and the team will go on an training to Mallorca," he continues. Eyeing the spring classics, the Briton will take part in another concentration in the Spanish island of Mallorca.
He was able to win the X2O Trofee Kortrijk and the Superprestige Boom races back in November and early December, however head-to-head he wasn't able to beat neither Wout van Aert or Mathieu van der Poel - despite having been close on several occasions.
“It is a pity that Tom has to end his campaign like this. He was a bit shaken though. He has been riding around with a very good feeling lately and was able to duel with Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel," Bogaerts concluded.
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