Disappointed on stage one, pleased with stage two: Tom Pidcock gaining confidence at Tour de France

After a "disappointing" stage one, but a good stage two, Tom Pidcock has said he’s  gaining confidence at the Tour de France.

After a tough first stage on the road to Bilbao which was won by Adam Yates, where Pidcock finished 29th, 33 seconds behind, he felt he did better on stage two. The Ineos Grenadiers put in a late attack on stage two into San Sebastián, showing that the legs are there and that he’s building form as the race continues.

Speaking to Cycling Weekly ahead of the third day, the 23-year-old explained that his efforts on stage two left him feeling confident as the race continues into France with the Pyrenees just on the horizon. 

“I’m pleased with yesterday,” Pidcock said. “Stage one was not at all how I’d imagined. I was pretty disappointed with that to be honest.

“It was nice to be feeling better yesterday and to be able to get a bit more stuck in and I gained some confidence which was really nice.”

The Ineos Grenadiers rider came into the French Grand Tour with the aim of targeting stage wins while balancing that with the aim of improving on his general classification showing in the 2022 edition.

“I want to try and achieve both,” Pidcock said. “I want to make a step up in riding GC and I want to aim for stages. Personally I want to go for stages as my main priority, but still focussing on GC. Like I’ve said before, I want to try and win from the lead group or the favourites group and not from the breakaway which then keeps me on GC.”

With the Pyrenees approaching in the coming days, the British rider took satisfaction in his late attack on stage two, even if it didn't result in anything. 

Pidcock told the media in the days before the Tour that he hoped to make “a step up” in the mountains. 

“In the mountains is where I think I can make that step,” he said before the race. “That’s where I’d like to see myself improve. I’m a light rider so it should suit my characteristics, but longer efforts are where I can make the biggest step. In that case I can then make a step up in the GC and also my general performance in the Tour. 

“That’s what I’d like to see in the next three weeks.”