Tom 'Pidders' Pidcock

[postmanhat]

What was a 16th last year, 1 hour down or something? There's just a really, really big diff between a top-10 and a 16th in many GTs.

Fair point. Had forgotten how far back he finished after blowing up on stage 17. Understandable given the season he'd had.

 

[SafeBet]

Finished 8th of the GC riders today, same time as Gaudu, Bardet and Adam Yates.
Possibly his best ever performance in a high mountain stage since turning pro (his win on Alpe d'Huez was against lesser competition). Let's see if he can keep this up for three weeks.

 

[Trofonios]

Finished 8th of the GC riders today, same time as Gaudu, Bardet and Adam Yates.
Possibly his best ever performance in a high mountain stage since turning pro (his win on Alpe d'Huez was against lesser competition). Let's see if he can keep this up for three weeks.

Comparing times on Strava he was a bit behind at the top of Tourmalet but did a strong descent to catch up. Went better on the last climb it seems.

Last year he faded after the first week, will be interesting to see if he can be more consistent this year.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Im super surprised by Pidcock I must admit. Great showing so far, and here's the hope that he will only get better because he really is an amazing rider. I never thought he was much of a GT rider, but given that he's so young and that he has focused on a lot of other things, I can definitely see it in the future. I really couldn't do that before.

Great stuff!

 

[Red Rick]

Pidcock would be heaps of fun if he was close enough as a climber for his mad descending skills to cause chaos.

 

[Pinot's goat]

He isn't doing much better than last year at this point imo but if he actually focused on GC riding you would think he would be there with Hindley etc at worst given what he does with such a non-specialised build up.

As mentioned above, he faded last year so hopefully he has improved in that respect.

 

[Panda Claws]

Pidcock just overrated cause British

He is a good Ardennes prospect but it stops there.

 

[samhocking]

Pidcock just overrated cause British

He is a good Ardennes prospect but it stops there.

I'd argue a little underrated because he's quite far ahead of where Wout and MVDP were at the same age in actually one more discipline than Wout too.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Is this the same Pidcock who is the current Olympic champion? And this year has won Strade Bianchi & Nove Mesto World Cups (XCC, XCO) - plus a podium in a monument......
I'm sure he's the only rider to achieve that this season, and only MvdP has done something similar. But he's over rated.......

 

[Trofonios]

We don't know what Pidcock can do in a grand tour if he fully focuses on becoming a GT rider.
The first time we could see it, but I'm not sure, is in 2025, because next year one of his big aims is to his defend his MTB gold medal in the Olympics.

He said before the tour that he wanted to do a better GC this year. He strongly believe he can do that because the build up to the tour was much better this year.

The question we want to be answered is if he can be consistent over three weeks. If so he could be top 8.

 

[Ripper]

We don't know what Pidcock can do in a grand tour if he fully focuses on becoming a GT rider.
The first time we could see it, but I'm not sure, is in 2025, because next year one of his big aims is to his defend his MTB gold medal in the Olympics.

He said before the tour that he wanted to do a better GC this year. He strongly believe he can do that because the build up to the tour was much better this year.

The question we want to be answered is if he can be consistent over three weeks. If so he could be top 8.

I think just before this year's race he said that he wanted to go for the GC win this year?

 

[Trofonios]

I think just before this year's race he said that he wanted to go for the GC win this year?

Winning the tour? No, he didn't say that. Here is Pidcock:

“The first two stages are important for me. I want to win a stage, but not from the break like last summer in the Alps, but from the group with the big names," Pidcock told Het Nieuwsblad. "Winning a stage remains the priority, but I also want to take steps forward as a Tour rider. If you win from the group competing for the leaderboard, you will automatically stay high in the classification. Given my profile, I want to take a step forward in the mountains.”

"I’m not good enough to win the GC this year, I can tell you that. But I want to try and win some stages and then see what happens on GC."

"I also want to take steps forward as a Tour rider" - Stage wins and possible GC tilt in mind for Tom Pidcock at Tour de France

Tom Pidcock is a rider with such immense talent that it beco

cyclinguptodate.com

Tom Pidcock wants to target stages and "see what happens on GC" at this year's Tour de France

Tom Pidcock, who won atop Alpe d'Huez last year after a desc

cyclinguptodate.com

 

[Panda Claws]

Is this the same Pidcock who is the current Olympic champion? And this year has won Strade Bianchi & Nove Mesto World Cups (XCC, XCO) - plus a podium in a monument......
I'm sure he's the only rider to achieve that this season, and only MvdP has done something similar. But he's over rated.......

I really don't care about results in these other disciplines. Fair game if you do but I was aware of them when I made my post. I just don't value them like you do.

Pidcock is obviously one of the more talented riders and he will continue to do fine in hilly classics but at various times he has been presented at this multi-faceted threat which I simply don't see him becoming.

He's not gonna win PR with his sub 60 kg frame.
No he won't win TDF either as he is not quite built like a pgymy.
No he won't rock the one week stage races with climbing and TT'ing like that.

Concerning comparisons with WVA and MVDP we keep in mind that this is his 3rd more or less full season on the road and he raced through U23.

WVA and MVDP only really began doing a decent volume of road racing in I think 2018 or 2019? Which is 5th or 6th season at best despite their age. Both of them won monuments in those first 3 seasons and podiumed a lot more.

What Pidcock brings to the table is an apparent amazing versatility based on him doing stuff in U23. Pogacar and Bernal notoriously did so too but that climbing class showed almost immediately.

It's only when it comes to Pidcock that there is apparently a massive gap between U23 best and elite best and he still needs time.

 

[SafeBet]

Getting better and better. The climbing talent was always there but I was getting a bit skeptical he could become a GC rider. Now it seems more likely. Still a question mark over three weeks but he is clearly better than last year.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I'll have to eat my words and I'll gladly do that. The first british Ineos GC-rider that I can support, he's much different to the likes of Wiggo, Froome and Thomas!

 

[Third Time Lucky]

I suspect he wants to finish above Simon and Adam at this years tour and be the highest placed Brit.

 

[Barnacle Bill]

I can't say I've ever really thought of him as a top GC contender given the time he spends on other disciplines compared to the competition, but he's quietly (or at least quietly by Pidcock standards) having a solid race so far - today was impressive.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Good performance, congrats!

 

[postmanhat]

Getting better and better. The climbing talent was always there but I was getting a bit skeptical he could become a GC rider. Now it seems more likely. Still a question mark over three weeks but he is clearly better than last year.

Didn't expect this as he was honest in the opening few days and said he didn't really know where his form was. Terrible prep for last year (spring illness, then Covid), but he was in the top ten till the last few days. This year has gone much more smoothly so hopefully he can see it out till the end.

Don't know the parcours, but ideally, there's a decisive descent somewhere which could be interesting..

 

[gunara]

I'll have to eat my words and I'll gladly do that. The first british Ineos GC-rider that I can support, he's much different to the likes of Wiggo, Froome and Thomas!

To me, always far more exciting the Yateses have ever been, too.
Maybe Ineos know what they've got in hand with all the leavings. Can't wait to be able to at least predict his ceilling more clearly.

 

[ppanther92]

Getting better and better. The climbing talent was always there but I was getting a bit skeptical he could become a GC rider. Now it seems more likely. Still a question mark over three weeks but he is clearly better than last year.

I think he will be one of Ineos main GT GC guys in the future. Probably the Tour. Thomas is old (but I would argue still their best), Bernal I don't see coming back to the very top level, Martinez doesn't have it, Sivakov even less, Arensmann probably also not one for the very front in the Tour. So him and Rodriguez look like their best bets for the years to come. And they prove it so far.

 

[Gwbert]

I think he will be one of Ineos main GT GC guys in the future. Probably the Tour. Thomas is old (but I would argue still their best), Bernal I don't see coming back to the very top level, Martinez doesn't have it, Sivakov even less, Arensmann probably also not one for the very front in the Tour. So him and Rodriguez look like their best bets for the years to come. And they prove it so far.

He just needs to get the mtb worlds jersey out of the way and then he can concentrate on GC.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I think he will be one of Ineos main GT GC guys in the future. Probably the Tour. Thomas is old (but I would argue still their best), Bernal I don't see coming back to the very top level, Martinez doesn't have it, Sivakov even less, Arensmann probably also not one for the very front in the Tour. So him and Rodriguez look like their best bets for the years to come. And they prove it so far.

And given that Rodriguez is gone, that leaves Ineos in a very weird spot with Pidcock as their no. 1 guy heading into 2024 IMO. He definitely has the talent because as you list these names, none of these has what it takes, unless Bernal magically finds his legs again.

 

[SafeBet]

I think he will be one of Ineos main GT GC guys in the future. Probably the Tour. Thomas is old (but I would argue still their best), Bernal I don't see coming back to the very top level, Martinez doesn't have it, Sivakov even less, Arensmann probably also not one for the very front in the Tour. So him and Rodriguez look like their best bets for the years to come. And they prove it so far.

Most of the guys you mention (Martinez, Sivakov, Rodriguez) are leaving anyway. There will be GC leader roles to fill. 2024 is an Olympic year so I'm not sure the Tour will be a major focus but from the year after it could get interesting.

Don't know the parcours, but ideally, there's a decisive descent somewhere which could be interesting..

Petit Ballon is pretty technical I think.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Very unexpected I have to say, are they still doing the Joux Plane descent?

Unfortunately he will most like be behind the main two at that point but if Ineos have one or two up the road a bridge over on the Ramaz descent would be a possibility.