Tom 'Pidders' Pidcock

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the relatively easy course could play into his hands, but yeah, generally I agree. He'd probably be better off not even trying.

 

[Monte Serra]

the relatively easy course could play into his hands, but yeah, generally I agree. He'd probably be better off not even trying.

Relatively easy course? In what sense? This Tour has the most mountainous first week since probably forever, and also ranks all time high in overall altitude meters.

 

[postmanhat]

With all due respect, but what exactly does he/Ineos expect to be able to happen in GC? So far he's shown diddly squat as a GC rider, and now suddenly in the biggest GC race of all he wants to see what will happen?

Last year, he had stomach issues through the spring, did some MTB, then got Covid at the TDS so went into the Tour with virtually no prep, won the Alpe d'Huez stage and finished 16th on GC. So this year, he hasn't had any health issues and they are going in with improved expectations, albeit possibly lowered after the TDS. That would be my interpretation.

 

[Strawberry_Jams]

With all due respect, but what exactly does he/Ineos expect to be able to happen in GC? So far he's shown diddly squat as a GC rider, and now suddenly in the biggest GC race of all he wants to see what will happen?

you've answered your own question. He wants to see what will happen. He's mentioned before he needs to understand what he is capable of by doing it.

btw after the tour he is riding mtb worlds, but he should have a good base for it considering no illness so far this season and will do the andorra world cup after, considering he lives there.

 

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Relatively easy course? In what sense? This Tour has the most mountainous first week since probably forever, and also ranks all time high in overall altitude meters.

short days, and mainly mid-mountain stages.

 

[RobertCrawley]

you've answered your own question. He wants to see what will happen. He's mentioned before he needs to understand what he is capable of by doing it.

btw after the tour he is riding mtb worlds, but he should have a good base for it considering no illness so far this season and will do the andorra world cup after, considering he lives there.

Pidders can climb, Pidders can descend probably as well as anyone in the world, but Pidders has not shown anything in the time trial.

He has experience now, but how good will he be for the entire three weeks?

If Bernal falters and Pidders is going well, he may get the support to make a go of it.

 

[Tim Cahill]

I always felt his heart isn't really in road racing, as much as I'd like to see what he can do if he was to prepare specifically for a big GC, it seems like his true passion is MTB, which is fine.

He isn't really an Ineos rider either, you can tell he just wants to go on the attack and isn't interested in chugging along in a mountain train, 'we keep saying we are going to take the fight to Jumbo and UAE and just haven't'. I will say however, he is getting an absolutely cracking deal, getting paid big money and still gets to do all the offroad stuff he enjoys so fair play really.

Has a real chance on the first stage, if he can get over the top near the front I doubt many GC riders will want to risk their tour trying to follow on a Basque descent (Pello/Landa perhaps will), if he tries it will all depend on how long it takes the group to respond. Could also wait for the sprint.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Pidders can climb, Pidders can descend probably as well as anyone in the world, but Pidders has not shown anything in the time trial.

He has experience now, but how good will he be for the entire three weeks?

If Bernal falters and Pidders is going well, he may get the support to make a go of it.

Sosa can climb, Kuss can climb... It would make sense for him to try and "see what can happen for GC" in a smaller race, so i don't really understand why they would now take the TDF as testcase when they never bothered with going for GC in smaller races for him before.

 

[dazaau]

With all due respect, but what exactly does he/Ineos expect to be able to happen in GC? So far he's shown diddly squat as a GC rider, and now suddenly in the biggest GC race of all he wants to see what will happen?

'I want to try and achieve both' - Pidcock targets Tour de France stage and GC success

Tom Pidcock is feeling confident ahead of the Tour de France and is targeting stage wins and winning the general classification.

www.eurosport.com

Tom Pidcock is feeling confident ahead of the Tour de France and is targeting stage wins and winning the general classification.

To win, apparently.

Personally I think this is absurd, buy hey, ineos don't really have any options in the tour's GC.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Pidcock is incredibly exciting as an all-a rounder, an Alaphilippe / classics Nibali / Mohoric type who can shock and awe you with daring raids and descents, plus MTB, plus cyclocross, but I don’t really understand this.

Alpe was great but he was minutes slower than Pogi/Vingo IIRC. He’s never shown to be on par with the top, gosh, even 20 climbers or time trialists. IMHO Wout has shown more as a GC rider than Pidcock. It could happen, but it’s crowded at the top and he has shown nothing to indicate he is going to hang with the top dogs. But he can be a massive star in the sport without sacrificing everything for the Tour.

 

[DNP-Old]

Pidcock is incredibly exciting as an all-a rounder, an Alaphilippe / classics Nibali / Mohoric type who can shock and awe you with daring raids and descents, plus MTB, plus cyclocross, but I don’t really understand this.

Alpe was great but he was minutes slower than Pogi/Vingo IIRC. He’s never shown to be on par with the top, gosh, even 20 climbers or time trialists. IMHO Wout has shown more as a GC rider than Pidcock. It could happen, but it’s crowded at the top and he has shown nothing to indicate he is going to hang with the top dogs. But he can be a massive star in the sport without sacrificing everything for the Tour.

You mean a guy from the break who has to do the majority of the climb alone and eat wind for tens of kilometers is slower than fresher riders benefiting from draft? Groundbreaking stuff.

 

[Strawberry_Jams]

'I want to try and achieve both' - Pidcock targets Tour de France stage and GC success

Tom Pidcock is feeling confident ahead of the Tour de France and is targeting stage wins and winning the general classification.

www.eurosport.com

To win, apparently.

Personally I think this is absurd, buy hey, ineos don't really have any options in the tour's GC.

He didn't say that specifically. In fact I've no idea why Eurosport.com have said that. I would say it got lost in translation but he's English

 

[Gwbert]

I always felt his heart isn't really in road racing, as much as I'd like to see what he can do if he was to prepare specifically for a big GC, it seems like his true passion is MTB, which is fine.

He isn't really an Ineos rider either, you can tell he just wants to go on the attack and isn't interested in chugging along in a mountain train, 'we keep saying we are going to take the fight to Jumbo and UAE and just haven't'. I will say however, he is getting an absolutely cracking deal, getting paid big money and still gets to do all the offroad stuff he enjoys so fair play really.

Has a real chance on the first stage, if he can get over the top near the front I doubt many GC riders will want to risk their tour trying to follow on a Basque descent (Pello/Landa perhaps will), if he tries it will all depend on how long it takes the group to respond. Could also wait for the sprint.

Pello might follow, not sure i can see Landa launching it on a descent though

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

You mean a guy from the break who has to do the majority of the climb alone and eat wind for tens of kilometers is slower than fresher riders benefiting from draft? Groundbreaking stuff.

You’re welcome to point out where exactly he has done something that indicated he could win the Tour.

 

[Ripper]

You’re welcome to point out where exactly he has done something that indicated he could win the Tour.

Well there was that time when ... erm ...
Oh, and then he descended really well to ... ummm
He's really had some amazing days on the bike!
And of course he ummm, (not) consistent ...

 

[Valv.Piti]

I do not understand all this GC stuff. He has done classics, MTB, cyclocross etc. and now we are supposed to believe he will be able to do well in the GC? In Tour de Suisse he was nowhere - he is much off better off as a stagehunter, and he will need to properly prepare if he wants to do anything relevant here outside of stage wins.

If I were to rank the Ineos riders, I will go like this:

1. C-Rod
2. Bernal
3. Felipe M
4. Pidcock

 

[DNP-Old]

You’re welcome to point out where exactly he has done something that indicated he could win the Tour.

I never said he could or would. I'm just pointing out that his antics on Alpe d'Huez aren't representative of anything, neither good or bad.

 

[Ripper]

I do not understand all this GC stuff. He has done classics, MTB, cyclocross etc. and now we are supposed to believe he will be able to do well in the GC? In Tour de Suisse he was nowhere - he is much off better off as a stagehunter, and he will need to properly prepare if he wants to do anything relevant here outside of stage wins.

If I were to rank the Ineos riders, I will go like this:

1. C-Rod
2. Bernal
3. Felipe M
4. Pidcock

Yup. Pidcock has some amazing qualities as a rider that have been stated throughout this thread. He has shown zero for targeting GC since becoming a pro, never,mind targeting GC at le Tour. Given his characteristics, if he were to somehow suddenly be up there by the end of this year's race, I think most comments would be in another forum.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

I never said he could or would. I'm just pointing out that his antics on Alpe d'Huez aren't representative of anything, neither good or bad.

OK fair enough. I agree. I referenced that because it is the best “evidence” I’ve seen that he has GC potential.

 

[Netserk]

I doubt it happens this year, but once he puts his mind to it fully and his prep clicks, I think he can contend for the podium in a GT.

 

[postmanhat]

I doubt it happens this year, but once he puts his mind to it fully and his prep clicks, I think he can contend for the podium in a GT.

Yes, last year he was 16th with abysmal prep. This year it's better, so it wouldn't be outlandish for him to top ten.

Personally, I hope he just stage-hunts with a view to keeping some shape for the Worlds MTB and road.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I think its pretty outlandish for him to top 10 unless he somehow gets gifted lots of time. But after today, it probably is a bit less outlandish with a few guys out of the race, but..

 

[postmanhat]

I think its pretty outlandish for him to top 10 unless he somehow gets gifted lots of time. But after today, it probably is a bit less outlandish with a few guys out of the race, but..

Why would it be outlandish for a young rider to progress from 16th to top ten in GC after a year, given that their prep for the race is also better?

 

[JRanton]

Carlos Rodriguez always seemed like the best bet for Ineos for GC. He was gradually getting better throughout the Dauphine which was a good sign after being out of racing for so long. He can top 5 if he avoids crashing.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Why would it be outlandish for a young rider to progress from 16th to top ten in GC after a year, given that their prep for the race is also better?

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.