Tom Pidcock says he rode ‘surprisingly well’ to finish second as Mathieu van der Poel returns to winning ways

There was plenty of drama at Druivencross as Van der Poel returned a day after his winning streak was broken

(Image credit: BELGA/AFP via Getty Images)

Tom Pidcock surprised himself with a storming performance that carried him to second behind Mathieu van der Poel in the Druivencross last weekend.

There was everything to play for in Overijse, Belgium on Sunday (December 15) after Mathieu van der Poel’s remarkable winning streak was ended during the previous day’s racing in the Hotondcross.

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Alex Ballinger

Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers.  Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.