Tom Pidcock to begin cyclocross season on 19 November in Belgium
World Champion will compete at Merksplas Superprestige in Belgium but full details of Pidcock’s cross calendar remain unknown
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Cyclo-cross world champion Tom Pidcock will make his return to racing on the dirt on 19 November at Merksplas Superprestige, Belgium.
Pidcock hasn’t competed on the bike since the Tour of Britain, which was shortened due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II in early September. The Leeds-born rider hasn’t competed in cyclocross since decimating the field to take the world cyclocross title in the United States in January.
Last week, it was understood that Pidcock was undecided as to how much he would compete during the cyclocross season as he is aiming for a strong start to the spring classics in 2023.
According to Het Niewsblad (opens in new tab) he will begin his cross campaign in two weeks time.
The competition in Merksplas is part of the Superprestige trophy and will be followed by the sixth round of the UCI Cyclocross world cup in Overijse in which Pidcock is also set to compete.
Despite making a return to cyclo-cross competition, Pidcock admitted last week that he was still unsure as to whether he would aim to defend his world title in 2023.
He said: “I don’t know yet, crossing in the winter and then being good in the spring classics is a difficult combination.”
“I’m definitely going to cross, although I don’t know exactly how much yet. I want to have a good preparation for the road season, but next week I should know my full calendar,” he added.
Pidcock has had a remarkable year on the bike which has seen him win various titles including becoming European mountain bike champion. He also won his first ever Tour de France stage on the slopes of the famous Alpe D’Huez climb in July.
At the recent Tour de France route announcement, Pidcock explained that the punchy opening stages in the Spanish Basque Country could spark drama from the very beginning.
He said: “I think it’s hard, it starts hard already. There’s no easing into it, straight away there’s possibilities for the GC to make time or even lose time. I think that also means there may be less crashes.”
In comparison to this year’s edition of the French Grand Tour, Pidcock said that the 2023 route will be more extreme than the 2022 race.
“There’s some big mountain stages and then quite a few flatter stages. So yeah, there’s more of the extremes than this year's Tour where there were quite a few intermediate stages,” he said.
Thank you for reading 10 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
Tom is a News and Features Writer at Cycling Weekly, and previously worked in communications at Oxford Brookes University. Alongside his day job, prior to starting with the team, he wrote a variety of different pieces as a contributor to a cycling website, Casquettes and Bidons, which included interviews with up and coming British riders.
-
-
Marlen Reusser time trials to Gent-Wevelgem victory with 40km solo attack
SD Worx rider takes wrong turn but still wins by almost three minutes
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Christophe Laporte triumphs at Gent-Wevelgem in dominant Jumbo-Visma one-two
The Frenchman broke free with Wout van Aert with 52km to go
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Opinion: Alpe d’Huez was masterful, but Strade Bianche win was Tom Pidcock’s finest yet
The stunning victory forged in the dust of Monte Sante Marie firmly eclipsed last summer's Tour de France stage winning glory
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
'That was not the plan' - Inside Tom Pidcock's stunning solo victory at Strade Bianche
Cyclo-cross skills, strength, and a lack of cohesion in chasing group helps 23-year-old to become first British man to win
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Eight riders to watch in the men's Strade Bianche 2023
Wout van Aert sits out due to illness, opening the door for a potentially new winner in the Piazza del Campo
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Tom Pidcock: 'It won’t be difficult to beat my 2022 Classics results'
Ineos Grenadiers' multi-format star ready for central role in one-day racing this Spring
By Adam Becket • Published
-
‘Cyclo-cross can’t exist with just three riders’ - Sven Nys on CX appearance fee disparity
Some CX riders reportedly forced to race for free due to large appearance fees handed to Tom Pidcock, Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Sven Nys says Tom Pidcock skipping cyclo-cross World title defence ‘makes sense’
‘An effort to win in Hoogerheide will cost so much’ says Belgian cyclocross legend on a course that favours Pidcock's rivals
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
In celebration of Peter Sagan, cycling's rock and roll frontman
As the three-time world champion is set to call time on his career in the WorldTour at the end of 2023, we thought we would take a look back at the glory days
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Wout van Aert comes out on top once more in battle of cyclocross ‘big three’ at Superprestige Diegem
Puck Pieterse victorious in women’s race in Diegem, Belgium
By Tom Thewlis • Published