Pidcock thinks he knows why Van der Poel survived brutal Milan Sanremo test: "That was a real shame"

Tom Pidcock continues to deliver this season, including in Tirreno-Adriatico. The 25-year-old Brit from Q36.5 sprinted to second place behind Andrea Vendrame on stage three, finished eighth in a reduced sprint the following day, and took sixth in Friday’s stage five. These three crucial days have served as important preparation for Pidcock, who, after his Strade Bianche showdown with Tadej Pogačar, has now shifted his focus to Milan-San Remo. And the signs are looking excellent…

That Pidcock is in top form this season has been an understatement for a while. The new team leader of Q36.5 claimed two stage wins at the AlUla Tour, added another in Ruta del Sol, and made headlines in Strade Bianche by challenging Pogačar for an impressively long time. Finishing second did not take away from his bold attempt to challenge Pogi, as he only cracked on the penultimate gravel climb under the Slovenian’s relentless attacks.

Heading into Tirreno-Adriatico, Pidcock admitted he wasn’t setting major expectations. “I hope for a tough week of racing,” he said at a pre-race press conference. And a tough race is exactly what he got—stages three and four were battered by heavy rain and strong winds, forcing the entire peloton to suffer on the way to the finish. Fortunately, Friday’s stage five saw sunshine at the start and dry conditions all the way to the line. Now, Saturday’s summit finish awaits, where the general classification will be decided.

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Pidcock feels the two rainy days in Tirreno-Adriatico weren't a true test

The big question IDLProCycling.com asked Pidcock in two separate conversations was: were stages 3, 4, and 5 a good test ahead of Milan-San Remo on March 22? A race where, according to him, "every wrong decision can cost you the win, and every right choice keeps you in the race." When asked whether he had the power to respond to attacks on the Poggio, he laughed and said, "Phew, I’m feeling good, so let’s find out!" before the start of Friday’s stage.

During Tirreno-Adriatico, his battles with Mathieu van der Poel and Filippo Ganna might have given him insights into two more Milan-San Remo favorites—besides Pogačar. How strong were their legs, especially since both attacked on Wednesday and Thursday? Pidcock was quick to put things into perspective: "To be honest, I don’t think we got a truly representative picture of everyone’s form here. Because of the rain, the race moved in slow motion on stages 3 and 4. The power output was never really high, and the sprints weren’t of top quality either. I think the last few days will give a better indication."

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Pidcock frustrated by headwind in next San Remo test

Stage 5 was supposed to deliver fireworks, and Q36.5 and Pidcock took control of the race. "Haha, yeah, it was definitely a test, but it was really unfortunate that there was a headwind on the final climb. That allowed a lot of guys to survive in the peloton, but I’m really happy with how the team rode. That was great to see," he said at the finish, sounding satisfied but with a hint of frustration about the conditions.

Pidcock still attacked on the final climb and put pressure on the descent—exactly what he plans to do in San Remo. And all that despite not feeling at his best. "To be honest, my legs felt a bit blocked and heavy, but once the racing really started, I felt much better. The two rainy days definitely took their toll. I also hadn’t scouted that descent—it was way too dangerous with the wind, so I didn’t take too many risks."

Looks like those risks will have to wait until the top of the Poggio...

Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email: [email protected])     

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