Tom Pidcock closed out his cyclocross season at the Benidorm World Cup on Sunday and his road season now set to begin at the Volta ao Algarve, after racing at the Shimano Supercup Massi MTB event in La Nucía on February 11.
The Briton's season will be largely formed around the Ardennes Classics, Tour de France and defending his Olympic Games mountain bike cross-country title in Paris. Pidcock will have just over a week to prepare between the latter two events but believes he can be ready in time.
"Next year, I want to go and defend my title at the Olympics, but also I've got to balance that with the team,” said Pidcock to Red Bull's Just Ride podcast in October. “And they need me, want me at the Tour, so I have to be there and be my best.”
Pidcock is planning an alternate racing block for the Spring Classics, skipping the Tour of Flanders and all other cobbled races except Omloop het Nieuwsblad, but returning to Strade Bianche to defend his title on the white Tuscan roads before heading to Milan-San Remo and Tirreno Adriatico.
Instead of Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix, Pidcock is reportedly set to race Itzulia Basque Country as part of his Tour de France and Ardennes Classics preparation.
A greater focus on the hilly Classics and a move away from the cobbles was a conscious decision made by Pidcock and coach Kurt Bogaerts, after the Yorkshireman showed much greater promise there in 2023 with second at the Amstel Gold Race, sixth at La Flèche Wallonne, and second at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the best result by a men's British rider at the Monument since 1988.
“If you participate in all Flemish races, you are limited in terms of races that you can contest. If you want to do more than take part in a stage race à la the Volta ao Algarve and compete then you have to start cutting back on your program,” said Bogaerts to Het Nieuwsblad in November.
He confirmed his clear goal last month to aim for the GC at the Tour de France but was understandably reluctant to reveal who would be the main leader for Ineos Grenadiers with Carlos Rodríguez, fifth in last year’s Tour, also set to take the start in Florence.
“My role? I think it's too early to think about that,” said Pidcock to AS and media after the Benidorm World Cup. “You have to go to the Tour de France with a realistic vision of what you can achieve and with your own objectives.”
Pidcock believed his career-best win atop Alpe d’Huez on his debut at the Tour in 2022 “maybe put a bit of pressure on me,” with his 2023 race bringing less success despite his overall position moving from 16th to 13th. He was very competitive throughout the first week but dropped out of the top 10 by Paris.
This winter, Pidcock's cyclocross season was reduced due to illness and saw him miss three races, but he returned to competition for one final race with the two other members of cyclocross’ 'big three', Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert.
Van Aert was victorious in Spain as the trio all suffered mishaps in the exciting round of the CX World Cup, but Pidcock only managed ninth after coming off his bike, albeit onto his feet, trying to jump the boards. He did confirm he was “healthy again and feeling strong on the bike” after his absences with his road debut approaching next month.
Tom Pidcock's 2024 schedule
- Volta ao Algarve (February 14 to 18)
- Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (February 24)
- Strade Bianche (March 2)
- Tirreno-Adriatico (March 4 to 10)
- Milan-San Remo (March 16)
- Itzulia Basque Country (April 1 to 6)
- Amstel Gold Race (April 14)
- Flèche Wallonne (April 17)
- Liège-Bastogne-Liège (April 21)
- Tour de France (June 29 to July 21)
- Paris Olympics MTB cross-country (July 28)
- Paris Olympics road race (August 3)
