Year of Exploration for Tom Pidcock says coach Kurt Bogaerts

In an interview on Sporza, Tom Pidcock’s long time coach and former boss at An Post/Sean Kelly, Kurt Bogaerts says 2021 “will be one big exploration for Tom this year”.

RST Cycle Clothing & Trigon Bikes

Year of Exploration for Tom Pidcock says coach Kurt Bogaerts

Tom Pidcock’s forthcoming provisional events

27/02 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
28/02 Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne
06/03 Strade Bianche
14/04 Brabantse Pijl
21/04 Waalse Pijl
25/04 Leige Bastogne Leige

With his cyclocross season done, Tom Pidcock now dons the colours of Ineos and heads for the Belgium cobblestones. “The Walloon classics are more his thing” says Bogaerts, but the level is very high there. Strade Bianche must also suit Pidcock very well in the long term”.

At Ineos, the British rider will soon make his baptism of fire in the classics. “It will be one big exploration for Tom this year,” says his coach Kurt Bogaerts. “Tom will first participate in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. After that weekend, we will see where he stands. Perhaps then, Flemish classics will be added to his program.”

Tom will also start at Strade Bianche, a new classic but a very popular one indeed with a lot of off roading and ‘gravel racing’. “That is a classic that will certainly suit him in the long run, especially because of his talent for off-road races” explained Bogaerts.

The Brabantse Pijl and Leige Bastogne Leige are also on the plan for the young Yorkshire rider. “Tom does not have the profile of a Flemish rider but he did win Paris-Roubaix in the U23 category. With the pros, it is more about the power in such races and that is less Tom’s thing. Tom has more talent for the Tours and the Walloon classics. But there the level is much higher and it is difficult to taste the victory. That is why we let him race a little in all areas this spring.”

Bogaerts has been guiding Pidcock for years and praises his protege. “Tom is very intelligent and gives very good feedback. Tom is having fun on his bike, but he also wants a professional environment around him. He wants the best material and is very busy with power and data analysis. Tom had special bars made for his time trial bike and he also went through extensive wind tunnel testing.”

“Tom understands the whole picture, how everything works and he also gives feedback. That attitude, in combination with my background as an coach makes for a very good match,” says Bogaerts.

“In his feedback, Tom comes quickly to the point. As an intermediary, I convey Tom’s feeling to the top coaches and his intelligence and way of giving feedback makes it easier to work on a solution.”

After the World Championship cyclocross, where he finished 4th in the Elite Men’s race, Pidcock got 10 days off from Bogaerts. “Tom then returned to his family in Leeds and started running there a bit more. Other coaches might forbid that, but it’s important that Tom has fun now. Otherwise such a rider will not last long.”

Source – Sporza

 

Cycle Division’s Shop

Send your results as well as club, team & event news here

Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)

Other News on VeloUK

Tags: