Tom Pidcock admitted to a couple of tactical errors but was pleased overall with his first showing of the Classics season at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, describing himself as surprised by how well he was going.
The Ineos Grenadiers rider went straight from winning the cyclo-cross world title at the end of January onto the road at the recent Volta ao Algarve, and was immediately on song as he began the second Classics campaign of his career.
His 18th place might not be much to write home about but his response on the Berendries, where the race ignited for the first real time, was telling. Pidcock, who was noted to be spending a lot of time near the back of the bunch by Moto reporter Bradley Wiggins, was right up front when it mattered, going clear over the top of the cobbled climb in the company of teammate Jhoatan Narvaez, the Jumbo-Visma duo of Wout Van Aert and Tiesj Benoot, and Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Victorious).
The first error was to let Benoot slip away, giving Van Aert a tactical advantage in the group, which was soon swallowed up by the bunch.
“We made a bit of a tactical error letting Tiesj go, because then group stopped working and we got caught by the bunch, but it didn’t really change much,” Pidcock told reporters in Ninove.
“It was still a long way to the finish with a headwind, so at that point only I was only thinking getting to the Muur. It was a difficult situation but we didn’t need to sacrifice someone yet.”
Benoot was indeed caught beyond the Muur as a group of around 20 eventually formed ahead of the final climb of the Bosberg, and that’s where the second error was made. Van Aert didn’t wait for the climb, attacking in advance and drawing out a couple of responses before forcing his way clear on the climb itself and soloing 13km to the finish line.
“When Van Aert went, I probably should have gone with him, but that climb is the climb that suits me least in the whole race so I was a little bit apprehensive,” Pidcock explained. “I thought I would wait and follow the group, so yeah, that was probably a mistake.
“He went at a good time because at that point people were thinking about the Bosberg and he went before and everyone was a bit surprised by that. Two guys tried to go with him and couldn’t so I think after that everyone was thinking about second.”
That might explain why Pidcock only managed an 18th place finish, despite the usual strength of his sprint. Interestingly, he indicated that his head was ‘not in the right place’ and that he lost motivation once the victory had disappeared up the road.
“I was going really well today actually. I was surprised with my shape actually. It’s good. Now just the head that needs to get in the right place,” Pidcock said.
A little later, he added: “In the final I messed it up a bit, but then the win was already gone. I don’t think I fought hard enough. But yeah, good day.”
While Pidcock has taken a restless approach to the winter and the build-up to his second pro season, Van Aert - a growing rival in ‘cross and road - had kept a much lower profile. In a bid to temper his wide-ranging ambition and peak later in the spring, the Belgian champion cut short his ‘cross season and decided against any preparation races, choosing instead to train at altitude.
“He’s on good level, but it was more that it was right time to attack.That was biggest thing today,” Pidcock noted. “He was struggling… not struggling but breathing as much as any of us after the Berendries. For sure he was going well but they rode well as a team, that’s the thing.”
In a hint of possible mind games to come this spring, he added: “He was good but I expected it. Of course he was good - he needs to win some big races this season.”
