Tom Pidcock already focusing on road season: 'I lack a bit in hours but I have the intensity'

Fresh from winning the Cyclocross World Championships on Sunday in Fayetteville, USA, Tom Pidcock will quickly turn his attention to the road season as he prepares for the Spring Classics. 

Mixing 'cross races with Ineos Grenadiers training camps over the past couple of months, Pidcock hasn't managed to build his road bike fitness as much as his teammates. However, the Briton is confident that his discipline juggling shouldn't hinder him in the new road season.

Speaking after the worlds on Sunday, Pidcock said: "I lack a bit in hours but I have the intensity," reports CyclingNews. (opens in new tab)

"It's a different way of going into the road. I'm not going to have a very long break but then kind of have a break in the middle of the year."

The Ineos Grenadiers rider stormed to victory at the Cyclocross World Championships last weekend, perfectly demonstrating his excellent form over an intense hour. Pidcock furiously shifted his pedals to build an insurmountable 30-second gap to his rivals during the race, maintaining his lead right until the finish line.

Pidcock will take a two-week rest in the intervening period between winning the 'cross worlds and his first road race of 2022, at the Volta ao Algarve from February 16-20. There is a possibility the 22-year-old will don the rainbow jersey in Belgium next Sunday though, but he acknowledged racing isn't the best idea.

He said: "I’m in Belgium next Sunday. I’m flying straight back from New York so I don’t think racing will be a good idea."

Despite planning to begin his road season with the double-header weekend at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, it seems Pidcock is unfazed by his supposed lack of preparation. After all, he just produced a hugely impressive performance last Sunday, highlighting his current level. 

Strade Bianche and Milan-San Remo are also in the Briton's sights, but he still seems undecided on the Ardennes Classics due to his Giro d'Italia debut in May. From there, he will take his aforementioned extended mid-season break to recover from a hectic schedule that began with 'cross races at the start of December.

Two more world championships in 2022 await Pidcock too, with the Mountain Bike World Championships in France in late August, followed by the Road World Championships in Australia in September.