Tom 'Pidders' Pidcock

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Hopefully the knee is on the mend.... will be good to see him battling it out with his old foe Eli once more - no love lost there!

Iserbyt doesn't strike me as dominant as last year. Maybe he's keeping some of his powder dry for the second part of the season this time around.

 

[stonerider]

Iserbyt doesn't strike me as dominant as last year. Maybe he's keeping some of his powder dry for the second part of the season this time around.

Iserbyt came into this CX season on top form winning most of the early season races. Unless you're MvdP or Wout, you can't hold that form the entire season. Now Iserbyt looks like he could use a mid season break with some nice longer rides in a warm weather location. Also, Iserbyt has never performed well in the cold because he probably only weighs 120 pounds soaking wet.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Iserbyt came into this CX season on top form winning most of the early season races. Unless you're MvdP or Wout, you can't hold that form the entire season. Now Iserbyt looks like he could use a mid season break with some nice longer rides in a warm weather location. Also, Iserbyt has never performed well in the cold because he probably only weighs 120 pounds soaking wet.

I'm aware. I am comparing Iserbyt to previous seasons, not to Wout or Mathieu. He is clearly in lesser form much earlier than he was previous seasons, it isn't that cold here in Belgium now by the way, it's been warmer so far than it has been in previous years.

 

[Bolder]

I'm aware. I am comparing Iserbyt to previous seasons, not to Wout or Mathieu. He is clearly in lesser form much earlier than he was previous seasons, it isn't that cold here in Belgium now by the way, it's been warmer so far than it has been in previous years.

He says it's sciatica.

But if this season follows the last few, once Wout and MvdP (and Pidcock) reappear, the natural order will be restored. I've been watching the pre-Wout/MvdP races with a gimlet eye, although I enjoyed yesterday's a lot. Iserbyt seemed to be favoring his back by not really even contesting the start or the final sprint (he probably didn't have much left after making his way back from 30 second down or so on a fast course).

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

He says it's sciatica.

Yeah, i read something about that.

 

[Sciatic]

Yeah, i read something about that.

I can vouch for the fact that’s no fun. Aside from the pain I always felt like I lost power in the affected leg—but I wonder if that was just my perception based on discomfort, or if (in the case of someone like Pidcock) there is a measurable power loss when symptomatic?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I can vouch for the fact that’s no fun. Aside from the pain I always felt like I lost power in the affected leg—but I wonder if that was just my perception based on discomfort, or if (in the case of someone like Pidcock) there is a measurable power loss when symptomatic?

I'm sure it's no joke. But just to be clear, we were talking about Iserbyt, not Pidcock.

 

[saunaking]

I don't think it's so much undermining him, but putting him into perspective in this moment. But each rider developes at his rate and honestly, if he wants the Tour, he will at some point have to sacrifice his off-road ambitions and go all in for that goal. In this cycling, there is no other choice. Winning Alpe d'Huez from a non-GC break is one thing, but being in the GC battle is entirely another.

being in the GC battle is one thing, but he is OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST and CX WORLD CHAMPION
but ya would be cool to see him fighting Guillaume Martin for top 5 at the tour haha

 

[Extinction]

being in the GC battle is one thing, but he is OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST and CX WORLD CHAMPION
but ya would be cool to see him fighting Guillaume Martin for top 5 at the tour haha

What I meant, but of course you know this, is that going for the Tour (as he himself has stated as an ultimate goal) will require giving up other passions. I agree with you that, given the state of things, a top five is probably his worth, although his limit depends on the next few years development.

 

[jmdirt]

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[Strawberry_Jams]

looking at his potential road schedule I'm not sure how he fits more than one mtb world cup in before the worlds, which he has mentioned is his main goal this year. If he wants a better starting grid, he needs to retain his points from last year plus add more. However:
Albstadt is not on the calendar anymore (I assume he loses those points?)
Needs to win in Nove Mesto again just to retain points
The Euros is just before the tour so I doubt he will ride that.

so if anything he will lose ranking points. (he will benefit from being in the top 10 ranking in cyclocross although he could get pushed out as not racing worlds)

so he could well be further down than he was last year, which was a contributing factor to finishing 4th.

I wonder what his schedule will be in the build up to the tour after the classics? If he wants to win the mtb worlds I would forgo the tour this year, but I highly doubt that will happen, I worry he's again putting to much on the plate.

 

[armchairclimber]

I'd much rather see him sack CX off completely now this season. I'd much rather see him deliver some results in the classics this Spring.
I think GTs are a stretch too far at the moment but I could see him punching in the right 1 week races.

 

[Strawberry_Jams]

this year i'd like to see him do something like:

Tour de la Provence

(Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne
Strade Bianche
Tirreno-Adriatico
Milan-San Remo
E3
Ronde van Vlaanderen
Amstel Gold Race
La Flèche Wallonne
Liège-Bastogne-Liège)

MTB:
Nové Město
Lenzerheide
Leogang
(1 or 2 French/Italian/Swiss Cup events that fit in)

British Road Championships

British MTB Championships
World MTB Championships

Tour of Britain
Italian autumn classics

leaves him plenty of oportunities to tick of more races/get a few wins etc. without leaving him knacked after a three week tour. think mvdp 2019 season.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

this year i'd like to see him do something like:

Tour de la Provence

(Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne
Strade Bianche
Tirreno-Adriatico
Milan-San Remo
E3
Ronde van Vlaanderen
Amstel Gold Race
La Flèche Wallonne
Liège-Bastogne-Liège)

MTB:
Nové Město
Lenzerheide
Leogang
(1 or 2 French/Italian/Swiss Cup events that fit in)

British Road Championships

British MTB Championships
World MTB Championships

Tour of Britain
Italian autumn classics

leaves him plenty of oportunities to tick of more races/get a few wins etc. without leaving him knacked after a three week tour. think mvdp 2019 season.

He's fast in a sprint, he's light, you'd assume he should do well in FW, but have we ever actually seen him on a finish like that? Can't remember if he contested that sprint in the TDF where Van Aert won ahead of Pogacar. Not that that was like FW, but still. Also don't remember how he finished Strade 2 years ago.

 

[Strawberry_Jams]

He's fast in a sprint, he's light, you'd assume he should do well in FW, but have we ever actually seen him on a finish like that? Can't remember if he contested that sprint in the TDF where Van Aert won ahead of Pogacar. Not that that was like FW, but still. Also don't remember how he finished Strade 2 years ago.

Well he's done fw twice, in his first season he came 6th and last year he was ill. So 2 years later with the improved strength that comes with age, and better positioning, it's something he can potentially win, we just haven't had the opportunity to see it yet.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

looking at his potential road schedule I'm not sure how he fits more than one mtb world cup in before the worlds, which he has mentioned is his main goal this year. If he wants a better starting grid, he needs to retain his points from last year plus add more. However:
Albstadt is not on the calendar anymore (I assume he loses those points?)
Needs to win in Nove Mesto again just to retain points
The Euros is just before the tour so I doubt he will ride that.

so if anything he will lose ranking points. (he will benefit from being in the top 10 ranking in cyclocross although he could get pushed out as not racing worlds)

so he could well be further down than he was last year, which was a contributing factor to finishing 4th.

I wonder what his schedule will be in the build up to the tour after the classics? If he wants to win the mtb worlds I would forgo the tour this year, but I highly doubt that will happen, I worry he's again putting to much on the plate.

Yeah, it's interesting. Those ranking points will go if he doesn't race much; his Road/CX ranking only helps in MTB World Cups were the 5th? row is for top riders in those disciplines. The Worlds is purely off MTB rankings.....he's currently 28, which is already 4th row. MvdP is even worse, and not ranked at all.
The points for Albstadt are interesting, as it's not on the calendar, so I'm not sure how that works; but Nove Mesto is middle of May, then there is a 2-3 week gap, and then 3 World Cups in June....If he's doing the Tour, then you can't imagine him riding many of them.

There is a Proffix Swiss Cup race the week after Nove Mesto to gain more points, but maybe they'll gamble if he's in good enough form that another poor starting position won't matter - and his 4th place was down to the bug he had the week before. He can get to the front, it's the energy lost. However, it's not what I'd do but they know what they're doing......

 

[Strawberry_Jams]

this year i'd like to see him do something like:

Tour de la Provence

(Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne
Strade Bianche
Tirreno-Adriatico
Milan-San Remo
E3
Ronde van Vlaanderen
Amstel Gold Race
La Flèche Wallonne
Liège-Bastogne-Liège)

So his confirmed schedule up until the end of the cobble classics is:

Volta ao Algarve
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
Strade Bianche
Tirreno-Adriatico
Milan-San Remo
Dwars door Vlaanderen
Ronde van Vlaanderen

so, nearly right. I'm glad he is doing TA, something he didn't do last year, with a chance to win on stages 4 & 6. Expecting a big improvement on his first pro season (ignore last year), with hopefully a win (or two).

 

[RedheadDane]

Expecting a big improvement on his first pro season (ignore last year), with hopefully a win (or two).

I dunno... a win on Alpe d'Huez doesn't feel like something that should be ignored...
Do you still think it's 2022?

 

[Strawberry_Jams]

I dunno... a win on Alpe d'Huez doesn't feel like something that should be ignored...
Do you still think it's 2022?

sorry yes, I meant the classics campaign haha. But it does show how high his standards are that he was disappointed with last year. to quote cav, no small *** races for him.

 

[King Of The Wolds]

For sure he'll do Amstel too. Suits him best, out of all the Classics.

 

[postmanhat]

So his confirmed schedule up until the end of the cobble classics is:

Volta ao Algarve
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
Strade Bianche
Tirreno-Adriatico
Milan-San Remo
Dwars door Vlaanderen
Ronde van Vlaanderen

so, nearly right. I'm glad he is doing TA, something he didn't do last year, with a chance to win on stages 4 & 6. Expecting a big improvement on his first pro season (ignore last year), with hopefully a win (or two).

FWIW. PCS also have listed for Amstel, Liege and The Tour, which is to be expected from the rumour mill? Personally, I'd rather he skip the road completely after the classics and concentrate on MTB to sharpen his skills and get some much needed points. then just use The Tour for stage hunting/training to get in shape for the Road and MTB Worlds a couple of weeks of later.

 

[tobydawq]

FWIW. PCS also have listed for Amstel, Liege and The Tour, which is to be expected from the rumour mill? Personally, I'd rather he skip the road completely after the classics and concentrate on MTB to sharpen his skills and get some much needed points. then just use The Tour for stage hunting/training to get in shape for the Road and MTB Worlds a couple weeks of later.

Does he really still need to do MTB?

 

[postmanhat]

Does he really still need to do MTB?

Well it's a chance to win The Worlds in The UK. That might come around again during his career, but The Dauphine etc will always be there. And in the medium term, he wants to retain his Olympic title in 2024 probably above everything else? Then concentrate more on the road after that.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Does he really still need to do MTB?

Yes he does; it's his main aim after the Classics - it was in his interview with Rouleur before Christmas; but most of the road cycling media haven't mentioned it. He was disappointed in what happened in Les Gets, and wants to put it right......

 

[RedheadDane]

Yes he does; it's his main aim after the Classics - it was in his interview with Rouleur before Christmas; but most of the road cycling media haven't mentioned it. He was disappointed in what happened in Les Gets, and wants to put it right......

He might not need to, but that doesn't really matter if he wants to.