The UCI changed a last-minute rule to accommodate
Tom Pidcock, Mathieu van der Poel and Peter Sagan more towards the front at the start of the XCO World Championships. The Briton eventually won the title with that small assistance, but he's not too keen with the rule following the mass backlash that has occurred due to this.
"I didn’t want to get involved in this rule changing shit show before the race but I feel something needs to be said," Pidcock said in a post on Twitter following his victory. "Even though this did end up benefiting me (1 row up) I’m in complete dis-agreement with it. This rule wasn’t made for me or requested by me or from my camp," he reveals. He started on the fifth row of the race, one above runner-up Sam Gaze. However Van der Poel and Sagan climbed several rows each despite not having the UCI points in Mountain Biking to start towards the front.
This was made possible because in the days leading up to the men's race - but not applied to the women's race and Blanka Kata Vas - the UCI implemented a rule that stated that riders in the Top10 of other cycling disciplines or Top20 on the road could have a fifth row start. Criticism was already heavy from that alone, but then grinding on the absurd as Sagan did not follow any of those standards and still heavily benefited from it - although at the end of the race he ultimately could not take a result strong enough to assure his presence in next year's Olympics.
The Mountain Biking community heavily criticized such absurd decisions that were in clear favour of the three athletes. A combined statement of many athletes was also issued, putting in the spotlight the unfair treatment of riders who race all year round in the discipline and were in seek of results or UCI points respectively. Pidcock, although not requesting it, naturally also got backlash as he benefited from the rule and ended up racing to victory. He looks to distance himself as far as possible from the decision.
"I sacrificed 3 weeks of prep for the TDF extending my spring before taking a break in order try get as many points as I could for this world champs. If a rule like this is to be made, it needs to be at the start of the year. I support the rider representatives position."
