The first images of Tom Pidcock in Ineos Grenadiers kit have been released by the team.
Pidcock, who finished fourth in the Cyclocross World Championships on Sunday (January 31), has now officially joined the British WorldTour squad and is expected to officially start his road season later this month.
The 21-year-old cross-discipline star has signed a three-year contract with Ineos, making the much anticipated step up to the World Tour.
Pidcock has made huge leaps in his career in the last few seasons, winning the under-23 Giro d’Italia in 2020 and then taking his biggest CX victory in December, beating Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) in the Superprestige Gavere.
Along with his success on the road and in the field, Pidcock also races mountain bikes at a high level and most recently won the e-mountain bike World Championship in the UCI MTB Worlds last year.
Pidcock will be making his Ineos debut at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne on February 27-28, before heading to Strade Bianche in March and then racing the Ardennes Classics in April, including Flèche Wallone and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
He also hopes to make his Grand Tour debut in his first WorldTour season, intending to race the Vuelta a España in August.
Announcing Pidcock’s signing last year, Ineos team principal Sir Dave Brailsford said: “It’s clear Tom is one of the most exciting young riders in world cycling and part of a new era of incredible all-round talents.
“We’re witnessing a new trend in cycling, with an emergence of young riders who come from a broader, multi-disciplined background. Tom’s career so far really embodies that. He’s competed at the highest level across several disciplines, an incredible bike handler, a natural born bike racer, and a winner.
“Now he’s going to be an Ineos Grenadier and it’s invigorating for the whole team to be developing a talent like Tom.”
Pidcock has initially planned to join Ineos from March 1 2021, but his transfer was brought forward to the end of his cyclocross season.
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He previously said: “I am incredibly excited and proud to be signing for the Ineos Grenadiers. Like so many British cyclists of my generation, I have always aspired to race on the road with this team – to me, the best in the world.
“I just want to keep racing, learning and growing as a bike rider, and having the opportunity to do that in this team is amazing. I feel like I’m ready for the WorldTour but also excited to keep exploring multiple disciplines with the support of this team behind me."
