"The chance of cyclocross is limited" - Tom Pidcock 'unlikely' to return to the field this winter after INEOS departure says his coach

Tom Pidcock's name has hardly been out of the headlines recently, but as of yet, just when the Brit will return to racing remains unclear. According to his coach, Kurt Bogaerts, Pidcock might not be seen at all this winter.

"It's unlikely. At the moment he needs consistency and I don't think he needs to race in the short term," Pidcock's long-term coach explains of his rider's cyclocross programme over the coming months, in conversation with the respected British cycling journalist, Daniel Benson's Substack page. "The chance of cyclocross is limited. We haven't made a plan yet, but I doubt he will do anything in December because there's not much left."

With his INEOS Grenadiers departure now officially confirmed, Pidcock is set for a completely fresh start in 2025. According to Bogaerts, it's an exciting time for the Amstel Gold Race winner, but much as Pidcock himself is keen to insist, there is no lingering ill-will between the team and the rider despite the controversy over recent months.

"It's a complex matter, but let's keep it calm. I don't know the plans for the future, so we just want to let it sink in," Bogaerts says of the situation to Benson, not going into detail about the rumours and speculation about where Pidcock may end up. "I hope that all parties can be successful."

As mentioned, there is still no official confirmation as to where Pidcock will ride in 2025, but with rumours circulating of both the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team and Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, this is likely to be a story that continues to rumble on in the coming days. One thing for sure is, seeing Pidcock and the INEOS Grenadiers on opposite sides of the peloton next year might take some getting used to for fans.