Q & A: Tom Pidock (World Cup Winner)

European and British champion and now twice a World Cup winner, we quiz Tom Pidcock about his victory at Hoogerheide

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Q & A: Tom Pidock (World Cup Winner)

European and British champion and now twice a World CX Cup winner, we quiz junior rider, Tom Pidcock about his victory at Hoogerheide

On Sunday, Tom Pidcock led British teammate Ben Turner over the line in an extraordinary one-two for GB at the final World CX Cup race of the season at Hoogerheide. Pidcock’s second win of the World Cup season saw him finish in third place in the overall World Cup standings.

When asked how this victory was compared to the other during a great season of victories, he replied “I think it was the toughest. The mechanical on the start and my crash meant I was fighting past people for most of the race. I think I made the wrong tyre choice and with my knock in confidence after my crash, the corners were particularly difficult”.

Talking about the course, Tom explains “pre race, I thought it was going to be a very boring course because that course is made for mud. However, when race day came, the freezing temperatures and the sheet ice that built up on the corners from the melting of the mud from tyres and then it freezing again, meant it was a very technical course. It was also quite a lot more physically demanding in the dry than I thought”.

It was an eventful race for the champion British rider who after a strong international season on the road, has been showing that the results last winter were just the start of something big for the Otley rider. “At the start, I had a problem with my gears as well as having a crash in front of me on the first bend which put me in about 30th. It was quite hard to move back up so it took me a lap and a half to get to the front again.”

“As soon as I was in the prime place to attack, I hit the deck, just because of all the ice that was forming on some of the corners. So then I had to recover from the crash then work back up again. Luckily I was able to get to the front and stay there till the finish even though Ben made me work hard for it!”

Tom says that the period leading up to the World Cup since the British Championships has seen him training as normal and how the victory in Hoogerheide is perfect timing ahead of the World Championships. “It’s good to know I’m still the strongest however I haven’t really taken it in because everything is about next weekend.”

Post race in Holland, Tom flew straight home after the race so he can spend a few days in a family environment before he heads to Luxembourg on Thursday for the biggest race of his young career.

Good luck to Tom at the World Championships and thank you this season for being so helpful. It is very much appreciated!

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