Tom Pidcock says Belgians made it 'near impossible' for Wout van Aert to win Worlds as Brit rides to impressive sixth
The 21-year-old Brit says the atmosphere in Belgium was 'like a football match'
While Tom Pidcock says he played his cards slightly wrong at the Flanders World Championships, a bit of inexperience costing him as well as not being in peak form, and says the home nation made it almost impossible for Belgian favourite Wout van Aert to claim the rainbow jersey.
The Brit finished sixth, not present in the small move that jumped from the group of favourites, from which Julian Alaphilippe successfully defended his world title in stunning fashion.
"Honestly we were proper racing almost all day, 270km of racing, for me to have that in my legs at the end I think that's a pretty good sign I've built really well from the Vuelta. I just played my cards wrong, a bit of inexperience I guess," was Pidcock's honest assessment of a wonderful edition of the men's Worlds road race.
After the Alaphilippe group had stolen a march up the road, Pidcock eventually jumped from the group behind, closing to within 17 seconds of Ineos team-mate Dylan van Baarle and Michael Valgren who took the silver and bronze medals.
"Wout had Jasper [Stuyven] up there, Mathieu had Dylan and the Italians had a guy so it was kind of difficult by myself," Pidcock explained of the predicament when he missed that move. "I should have committed but I feel if I committed then...I wanted one attack," he says of his race plan.
"It didn't work out my way but it was unbelievable racing, it was like we were racing a stadium, not on roads. Chants and singing, it was unreal, it was like a football match."
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Despite the fantastic spectacle, Pidcock believes the home pressure harmed Van Aert's chances of taking the rainbow jersey.
"They kind of shot themselves in the foot with the pressure they put on on their team. I mean [the team] did an unreal job but [Belgian expectations] made it near impossible for Wout to win. If he'd won it would’ve been the best ride ever, let's face it."
Pidcock's candidness is invigorating and he says while his form isn't perfect today's sixth place was primarily down to tactics and that it's a lesson for the future. While he's mostly happy with his ride, he says the only position that matters is who crosses the line first.
"Peaking for the Olympics and this...that's the biggest thing you know," he says of what held him back today. "I was 100 per cent for the Olympics, took a bit of downtime [after], tried to build up for this, but I wasn't quite 100 per cent I would say...but I think mainly it was more tactics today.
"World Champs is about one place and that's getting a rainbow jersey," he continued. "No one's going to remember who was second and third today, it doesn't matter. Yeah, it's nice getting a medal but in the next year, two years, no one knows who was second but people will know Alaphilippe is the double world champion."
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Jonny was Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor until 2022.
I like writing offbeat features and eating too much bread when working out on the road at bike races.
Before joining Cycling Weekly I worked at The Tab and I've also written for Vice, Time Out, and worked freelance for The Telegraph (I know, but I needed the money at the time so let me live).
I also worked for ITV Cycling between 2011-2018 on their Tour de France and Vuelta a España coverage. Sometimes I'd be helping the producers make the programme and other times I'd be getting the lunches. Just in case you were wondering - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the same ham sandwich every day, it was great.
-
Forget distance covered, these are the key stats to note in your Strava Year in Sport
We asked a coach how to best analyse our end of year Strava data
By Tom Davidson Published
-
'She should show a bit more respect' - Lotte Kopecky responds to Demi Vollering comments
The pair seemingly had one last fractious year together at SD Worx-Protime in 2024
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Latvia protest against Mathieu van der Poel's World Championships result, saying he 'endangered spectators'
Latvian Cycling Federation calls on UCI to explain decision not to disqualify Dutchman who mounted pavement
By Tom Davidson Published
-
'I was pushing but I couldn't feel my legs' - GB's Oscar Onley on his breakout World Championships ride
The 21-year-old was the youngest man in the top-20 in Zürich and matched some of the big guns on his way to 16th
By Adam Becket Published
-
'It was a stupid move, but it worked' - Tadej Pogačar on his history-making World Championships ride
Welcome to the Pogačar era, where the Slovenian can attack from 100km to the line and still win. It's just starting.
By Adam Becket Published
-
'Crazy', 'not normal', 'another level' - Peloton reacts to another Tadej Pogačar solo masterclass at World Championships
The win was not unexpected, but the way it happened might have been, as the Slovenian soloed to historic victory
By Adam Becket Published
-
Tadej Pogačar completes stunning Triple Crown with 51km solo to maiden rainbow jersey
Slovenian caps off imperious year with victory at the World Championships road race in Zurich
By Flo Clifford Published
-
'Everyone wants to win, sometimes that means everyone wants to lose' - Dutch attack, attack, and attack, but end up with fifth after confusing World Championships road race
Demi Vollering staked everything on trying to win the rainbow bands, but it wasn't to be. Was there a better way?
By Adam Becket Published
-
Lotte Kopecky has 'perfect day' as she sprints to Worlds glory again
Belgian becomes seventh woman to defend the rainbow bands on tough day on the roads of Zürich
By Adam Becket Published
-
'In a sprint with Kopecky, that’s probably the best I can do' - Chloé Dygert content with silver in World Championships road race
The American took the best result for her country since 1991 in the road race, capping off great year for USA women's cycling
By Adam Becket Published